LIBRARY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


Mrs.  SARAH  P.  WALS  WORTH. 

Received  October,  1894. 
Accessions  No.ff4.      Class  No. 


0  U  E   LORD'S 
GREAT  PROPHECY, 

AND  ITS  PARALLELS  THROUGHOUT  THE  BIBLE, 

HARMONIZED  AND  EXPOUNDED: 


COMPRISING  A 


PARTICULAR  EXAMINATION  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  PASSAGES 
RELATING  TO 

THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  CHRIST,  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD,  THE  NEW 
CREATION,  THE  MILLENNIUM,  THE  RESURRECTION,  THE  JUDG- 
MENT, THE  CONVERSION  AND  RESTORATION  OF  THE  JEWS, 


SYNOPSIS  OP  JOSEPHUS'  HISTOBY  OF  THE  JEWISH  WAR. 


BY  KEY.  D.  D.  BUCK. 

AXJTHOB  OF  "THE  OHBISTIAK  VIRTUES  AS  A  DIVINE  FAMILY,"    ETC. 


NEW  YORK  AND  AUBURN: 
MILLER,  ORTON  &  MULLIGAN. 

New  York:  25  Park  Row— Auburn:  107  Genesee-st. 
1856. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-six  by 

D.  D.  BUCK, 

In  the  Clerk's  Ofhce  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Northern  District  of 

New-York. 


PREFACE. 


To  THE  EEADER: 

FROM  the  title  page  you  will  learn  something  respecting 
the  nature  and  importance  of  the  subjects  discussed  in  this 
Treatise.  The  author  cannot  rationally  hope  to  prevail  with 
all  his  readers  to  adopt  his  views  and  methods  of  expounding 
portions  of  Scripture,  which  have  been  the  subject  of  so  much 
disputation  and  perplexity.  He  does  hope,  however,  to  awa- 
ken additional  interest  in  the  important  subjects  brought  un- 
der notice,  and  to  excite  increased  attention  to  those  prophecies 
whose  fulfillment  must  greatly  affect  the  destiny  of  the  whole 
world. 

Be  apprised,  Reader,  before  you  proceed  further,  of  one 
trait  in  the  character  of  this  work :  you  will  find  that  the  au- 
thor does  not  attempt  to  explain  mysteries,  or  to  defend  dispu- 
ted positions,  by  merely  advancing  his  own  opinions.  He 
will,  in  every  important  instance,  cite  you  to  the  law  and  to 
the  testimony.  You  will  meet  with  some  disclosures  that  are 
sufficiently  startling,  and  with  some  arguments  and  illustra- 
tions which  are  entirely  new.  And  you  will  perceive  that  the 
whole  matter  has  been  treated  with  originality  and  indepen- 
dency. There  is  but  little  borrowed  from  other  writers  ;  but 
what  there  is,  is  duly  credited.  The  earnest,  prayerful  effort 
of  the  author  has  been  to  be  right — exactly  right — in  all 


IV  PREFACE. 

matters  pertaining  to  the  great  subject  in  hand,  so  far  as  God 
has  deemed  it  wise  to  reveal  the  truth  to  men.  The  author  has 
all  along  proceeded  upon  the  supposition,  that  God  designed 
the  Holy  Scriptures  for  the  benefit  of  mankind  ;  and  that,  for 
this  reason,  they  may  be  understood. 

Of  the  origin  of  this  work,  something,  perhaps,  should  be 
known.  The  peculiar  features  of  the  Harmony,  and  the  gov- 
erning principle  and  arguments  of  the  Exposition,  are  not 
new  to  the  author  :  they  are  the  result  of  several  years'  re- 
search and  reflection.  Indeed,  it  has  been  the  principal  sub- 
ject of  inquiry  and  investigation  for  several  years. 
>,  The  preparation  of  the  work  for  the  press,  however,  has 
been  hurried  :  too  much  hurried,  probably,  for  the  author'8 
personal  good,  or  for  the  popularity  of  his  publication.  It 
has  all  been  written  within  the  last  twelve  months.  And  the 
labor  of  composing  has  been  continually  interrupted  —  some- 
times for  several  weeks  together — by  much  personal  illness, 
by  almost  continual  family  affliction,  by  unusually  heavy  pas- 
toral labors,  by  a  number  of  calls  for  extra  lectures  and  ad- 
dresses, at  home,  and  in  other  places ;  not  to  mention  the 
perplexities  and  delays  occasioned  by  a  change  of  residence, 
and  the  necessary  additions  to  ordinary  ministerial  labor,  in 
closing  up  the  affairs  of  one  charge  and  beginning  those  of 
another. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  work  has  been  composed  while 
the  majority,  perhaps,  of  its  readers  were  quietly  slumbering. 
With  these  facts  before  him,  the  candid,  and  especially  the 
Christian,  reader  will  not  fail  to  make  some  allowance  for  such 
errors  and  imperfections  as  must,  in  the  nature  of  things,  more 
or  less  mar  the  productions  of  human  wisdom.  Let  the  critic 
remember  that  the  golden  rule  applies  to  "  all  things  whatso- 
ever ;"  and,  consequently,  it  must  apply  to  criticism. 


PREFACE.  V 

Finally,  Reader,  if  you  would  derive  most  advantage  from 
the  perusal  of  this  work,  be  earnestly  advised,  (1.)  To  read 
the  whole  work  through,  iu  the  order  in  which  it  is  composed  ; 
for  you  will  find  that  all  the  parts  sustain  a  close  relation,  and 
in  some  cases,  the  connection  is  very  important.  (2.)  En- 
deavor to  understand  the  author's  position  and  meaning  in 
every  place.  (3.)  Be  sure  to  read  the  Notes,  —  especially 
those  in  the  Appendix — in  their  appropriate  connections. 
(4.)  Do  not,  on  any  account,  fail  to  examine  the  synopsis  of 
Josephus'  History  of  the  Jewish  "War,  when  you  come  to  the 
place  where  it  is  referred  to.  (5.)  And  certainly  you  ought 
to  keep  your  Bible  open  before  you,  and  refer  to  it  as  often 
as  a  complete  comprehension  of  the  quotations  and  references 
may  require  ;  never  forgetting  that,  after  all,  it  is  not  what  man 
may  say,  but  what  God  has  said,  that  will  prove  decisive  in 
human  controversy.  (6.)  Need  it  be  said  to  Christians — in 
reference  to  such  important  subjects — examine  carefully,  pa- 
tiently, prayerfully ;  desiring  and  seeking  to  be  divinely  en- 
lightened ? 


CONTENTS. 

PART  L 
THE    HARMONY, 

CHAPTER  I. 

Principal  subject — THE  HARMONY. 

Differs  from  others — When  first  designed — How  originated — Effect  of  Trans- 
positions— xvii.  chap,  of  Luke  —  Relation  of  the  several  Records  to  each 
other — Matthew's  record  adopted  as  the  principal  one  —  Reasons  —  Why 
neither  of  the  Evangelists  was  inspired  to  preserve  the  whole  Discourse  — • 
Wise  Design  —  Testimony  —  How  applied  to  Prophecy — Perfection  m 
Imperfection  —  Design  of  Mystery  —  Relation  of  Parts  to  the  Whole  — 
Illustrations,  Page  31 

CHAPTER  II. 

Principal  subject  —  TIIE  TRANSPOSITION  OF  LTJKE  xvn.  31-33. 

A  principal  difficulty  in  expounding  the  Lord's  prophetic  Discourse  —  Two 
classes  of  Interpreters  —  Perplexity  of  the  Orthodox  Divines  —  Fanciful  Ex- 
positions— How  to  detect  the  Transposition  —  Which  record  should  be  cor- 
rected—  Are  Luke  xvii.  and  Matt.  xxiv.  parallel?  —  Which  record  is  most 
complete — The  Saviour's  method  of  Teaching  —  When  the  Apostles  were 
inspired  —  Character  of  the  first  References  to  the  subjects  of  the  great 
Prophetic  Discourse  —  Other  Transpositions  —  The  Question  at  issue, . .  39 

CHAPTER  III. 

Principal  subject — THE  INTERROGATIONS. 

State  of  the  case — How  Christ  began  his  Discourse  —  How  many  things  were 
comprised  in  the  Questions  proposed  —  What  is  indicated  by  the  different 
forms  in  which  the  Inquiries  are  preserved  —  Impressions  of  the  Disciples  — 
Why  three  events  were  blended  in  their  Inquiries  —  How  they  obtained 
their  impressions — What  probably  occasioned  the  Difference  in  recording 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

the  Inquiries  —  Importance  of  considering  this  —  Cause  of  Indefiniteness 
of  many  Expositions  of  this  Discourse  —  The  true  method  of  Reasoning  — 
Illustrations, 45 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Principal  subject — PRELIMINARY  CONSIDERATIONS  RELATING  TO 
THE  EXPOSITION. 

When  the  Disciples  were  fully  Inspired  —  Their  liability  to  mistakes,  pre- 
viously to  their  Inspiration  —  Examples  —  Principal  Design  of  Christ's  final 
Discourses  —  A  principal  Error  of  the  Disciples — Jewish  understanding  of 
the  Prophecies — Examples — Facts  to  be  considered  —  Leading  Themes  of 
the  first  Gospel  Preachers  —  The  Kingdom  —  The  Judgment  —  The  End  of 
the  world  —  Impression  of  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee  —  "When  the  Kingdom 
of  Messiah  was  expected  to  begin  —  Origin  of  that  Expectation  —  Christ's 
Object  in  giving  the  Discourse  forming  the  subject  of  this  Treatise  —  State 
of  the  case  summarily  exhibited — "Why  Christ  did  not  previously  correct 
the  Errors  of  his  Disciples  —  Divine  method  of  Instruction, 62 

CHAPTER  V. 

Principal  subject — THEORY  OF  EXPOSITION. 

Benefits  of  a  Theory  —  Illustrations  from  Ancient  Philosophy  —  Great  names 
—  Preparatory  advisements  —  Character  of  the  Theory  of  Exegesis  —  How 
to  obtain  a  correct  Theory  —  The  case  stated  —  "What  the  Saviour  design- 
ed—  Illustrative  Parable  —  Radical  Mistake  —  How  occasioned — Principal 
elements  of  the  true  Theory — Difficulties  —  What  is  attempted  —  General 
bearing  of  the  Exposition  —  Origin  of  Universalism  —  Universalist  and 
Orthodox  Exegesis  compared  —  Test  of  Truth  and  Error, 63 


PART  II. 
THE  EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Principal  subject — DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 

Why  Christ's  attention  was  directed  to  the  Temple  —  General  form  and  extent 
of  the  Temple  —  Why  Herod's  was  called  the  Second  Temple  —  Stones  in 
the  wall  —  Adornments  —  Why  called  Gifts  —  Improbability  of  the  pre- 
diction— The  Romans  trying  to  save  the  Temple  —  How  the  destruction 
began — Two  days' Conflagration — Council  Debate — The  Romans  in  tho 


CONTENTS.  IX 

Inner  Court  —  Storming  the  Temple  —  The  Holy  of  Holies  on  fire — Des- 
peration of  the  Jews  —  Astonishment  of  the  Romans  —  Progress  of  the 
flames  —  Titus  in  the  Holy  of  Holies  —  Last  effort  to  save  the  building  — • 
How  the  Prediction  was  finally  fulfilled, 69 

CHAPTER  II. 

Principal  subject — CALAMITIES  OF  THE  JEWS  PREVIOUSLY  TO 
THE  SIEGE  OF  JERUSALEM. 

Supposition  of  the  disciples  concerning  the  Coming  of  Christ,  and  of  the  End 
of  the  World  —  Design  of  our  Lord's  Discourse  —  Caution  against  Deceivers 
— Source  of  danger  —  Impostors  claiming  to  be  the  Christ  that  was  cruci- 
fied—  Plausibility  of  their  pretensions — "Wars  and  Rumors  of  Wars — Pro- 
gress in  the  commotions  —  Character  of  Christ's  Predictions — Famines  and 
Pestilences  —  Earthquakes  —  Singular  Comments  —  Objections  —  Criticisms 
— Literal  and  figurative  Language  —  Earthquakes  in  divers  places  —  Signs 
in  the  heavens — Fearful  sights  on  the  earth  —  Indications  —  An  Army  in 
the  clouds — The  Supernatural  Voice — The  wonderful  Warning  —  Some- 
tiling  still  worse  —  Affecting  Illustration, 78 

CHAPTER  III. 

Principal  subject — SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRISTIANS  PREVIOUSLY 
TO  THE  SIEGE  OF  JERUSALEM. 

Correction  of  the  Record  —  Illustrations — Beginning  of  the  Persecution  — 
Progress — Saul  of  Tarsus  —  Different  forms  of  Jewish  persecution  —  Per- 
secution by  others  —  Chronological  accuracy  of  the  Prophecy — Persecution 
overruled  for  good — Why  the  Jews  persecuted — Why  the  Heathen  —  Pe- 
ter before  the  Sanhedrim  —  Stephen  —  Paul  before  the  Rulers  —  God's 
design  in  permitting  Persecution  —  Good  result  of  the  Appeal  to  Caesar  — 
Comfort  in  suffering  —  Why  forbidden  to  premeditate  —  Perversion  of  a 
text — When  we  may,  and  when  we  may  not,  premeditate  —  What  is  meant 
by  Taking  no  thought — Nature  of  Apostolic  Inspiration  —  What  is  meant 
by  giving  them  a  Mouth  and  Wisdom — Examples  —  Curious  way  to  resist 
Logic  —  An  Orator  in  Chains  —  Beginning  of  Apostacy  in  the  Church  — 
Treachery  —  Progress  of  Apostacy  —  Terrible  Result  —  Pattern  Age  of  the 
Church  —  The  World  and  the  Church  at  variance  —  What  is  meant  by  not 
a  Hair  of  the  head  perishing  —  How  to  possess  our  souls  in  Patience,.  96 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Principal  subject — CORRUPTION  AND  DECLENSION  OF  THE 
CHURCH. 

False  Prophets — Two  classes  of  them — Influence  upon  the  Church  —  Conso- 
lation and  Warning  —  What  preserves  the  Church  —  Difficult  Text  — 


X  CONTENTS. 

Strange  Salvation — Curious  Comment  —  The  Truth  finally  discovered  —  A 
true  Exposition  —  Import  of  the  term  World  —  Examples  —  How  extensively 
the  Gospel  was  Preached  in  the  Apostolic  Age  —  Meaning  of  The  End  — 
Erroneous  Impression  —  Explanation — Design  of  the  Prophecy — Anew 
Explanation  —  When,  and  How,  the  Jewish  Dispensation  was  consumma- 
ted  The  Beginning  and  the  Ending — Objects  of  that  Dispensation  — 

Its  effect  upon  common  Providence  —  Error  of  the  Jews  —  How  corrected 
by  Christ  —  Objection — Answer, 115 

CHAPTER  V. 

Principal  subject  —  FLIGHT  OF  THE  CHRISTIANS. 

Progressive  order  of  the  Prophecy  —  What  is  indicated  by  the  Inquiries  which 
led  to  the  Prophecy — When  did  the  Christians  flee  from  Jerusalem?  — 
Difficulty  in  determining  —  Strange  blunders  in  quoting  History  —  What 
was  the  Signal  for  beginning  the  Flight  —  Abortive  efforts  to  determine  — 
The  Source  of  Information  —  Probable  time  of  the  Flight — Three  Consid- 
erations—  Interesting  Parenthesis  —  Further  Information  concerning  the 
Flight — Two  Aspects  of  the  Signal  —  Wisdom  of  Christ's  Admonition  — 
Benefit  to  Christians  of  all  countries  —  Description  of  the  Flight  —  Regu- 
lations of  the  Flight — How  the  Families  were  preserved — Our  Lord's  Proph- 
ecy partly  a  Compilation  — Why  those  days  were  called  Days  of  Vengeance 

—  How  long  they  were  to  continue — An  important  consideration  —  Con- 
dition of  Women  with  young  Children  —  Time  of  the  Year  when  the  Flight 
occurred — Why  not  on  the  Sabbath  —  Numbers  Destroyed  and  taken  Cap- 
tive during  the  War  —  The  Elect  for  whose  sake  those  days  were  short- 
ened,       130 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Principal  subjects  —  FALSE  CHKISTS   AND  FALSE  PROPHETS. 

Renewed  appearance  of  Impostors  —  Why  so  successful  — Two-fold  Caution 

—  Simon  Magus  —  Menander,  his  Successor  —  Claims  to  be  Jesus  Christ  — 
Character  of  the  Signs  and  Wonders  wrought  by  the  Impostors — Why  the 
Jews,  who  were  imposed  upon  by  false  Miracles,  did  not  credit  the  true-- 
Illustration from  modern  Infidelity  —  Modern  Wonder-workers — Deceiving 
the  Elect  —  Import  of  the  phrase,  "If  it  be  possible"  —  Facts  in  the  ease  — 
Origin  and  Names  of  the  principal  Heresies  during  the  Primitive  Times  — 
Origin  of  the  False  Christs  and  False  Prophets  —  Two  ways  in  which  they 
appeared  —  Why  Christ  was  expected  in  "the  Secret  Chambers" — Use  of 
Josephus'  History 165 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Principal  subjects — THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST,  AND  THE  HISTORY 

OF  JERUSALEM  SINCE  THE  ROMAN  WAR. 

Does  the  27th  verse  refer  to  the  Romans  ?  —  Opinions  of  eminent  Divines  — 
The  Issue  announced — How  the  question  is  to  be  settled — The  Passage 


CONTENTS.  XI 

examined — Its  designed  use — Things  to  be  considered — The  single  bear- 
ing of  the  Illustration — The  Carcass  and  the  Eagles — Two  Applications  — 
How  one  could  be  taken  and  another  left — An  important  Emendation  of 
Matthew's  Kecord  —  Position  of  the  passage  from  Luke — Destruction  and 
Dispersion  of  the  Jews  —  Different  from  previous  Dispersions — Jerusalem 
in  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles  —  Import  of  the  expression,  "Trodden 
down  of  the  Gentiles" — The  city  in  the  times  of  Constantine — Julian  the 
Apostate  —  His  attempt  to  defeat  the  fulfillment  of  the  Prophecy  —  Result 
—  How  the  city  is  to  be  in  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles  —  Import  of  the 
expression,  "  Times  of  the  Gentiles," 165 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Principal  Subject — DARKENING  THE  SUN,  &c.     VARIOUS  IN- 
TERPRETATIONS REVIEWED. 

The  Figurative  Theory  not  very  Ancient  —  Influence  of  a  Mistake  —  Nature 
of  the  Argument  —  Plan  of  the  Argument  —  Two  Branches  of  the  Figura- 
tive Theory  —  The  Difference — '  Double  Sense  Theory  —  Robinson's — Ar- 
guments used  in  sustaining  the  Figurative  Theories  —  Examination  and 
Refutation  —  Review  of  Whitby —  What  led  him  into  his  Peculiar  Views  — 
Difficulties  of  Error — Whitby  against  Grotius  and  Whiston  —  Newton's 
Theory — The  Argument  on  "Immediately  after  the  Tribulation  of  those 
days,"  reviewed  —  Josephus  —  Facts — Appeal  to  Logic  —  Conclusion — 
The  Argument  relating  to  the  Figurative  Language  of  the  Old  Testament 
considered  —  The  Prophecy  of  Joel — The  Question  Settled  —  An  Exegeti- 
cal  Curiosity  —  Peter's  Reference  to  the  Prophecy  of  Joel  —  How  did  he 
understand  it?  —  Other  specimens  from  the  Old  Testament  —  An  important 
Fact  in  the  case  —  Origin  and  Proprieties  of  Metaphorical  Language, .  189 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Principal  subject — DARKENING  OF  THE  LUMINARIES,  AND  THE 

ATTENDING   CIRCUMSTANCES. 

Preliminaries  —  Plan  of  the  Argument  —  "The  Tribulation  of  those  days"-— 
The  days  defined  —  Important  Consideration  —  An  Omitted  Verse  —  How 
long  the  Time  is  to  last  —  Conclusion  of  this  branch  of  the  Argument  — 
Darkening  the  Luminaries  —  An  Error  of  the  Literalists — Nature  of  Meta- 
phorical Language  —  Where  is  the  Original  ? — How  the  Scriptures  speak 
to  men  —  Important  Distinction  —  The  Prophecy  of  Joel  and  of  Christ 
compared — The  specific  Time  and  Circumstances  of  Darkening  the  Lumina- 
ries—  Parallel  Predictions  —  Parallelism  of  Times  and  Events  —  Gog  and 
Magoer  —  Objection,  that  St.  John  describes  the  great  Battle  as  taking 
place  after  the  Millenium  —  John  and  Ezekiel  Harmonized — Different  Ex- 
positions compared 230 


Xii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Principal  subject — THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST.     EXAMINATION  OP 

SEVERAL   RELEVANT    SUBJECTS. 

How  the  Subject  is  Introduced  —  Erroneous  Interpretations — Two  Forms  of 
the  Interpretation — "Whitby's — Newton's — The  first  Reviewed — Logic  ver- 
sus History  —  The  second  Reviewed  —  Injurious  Tendencies  —  Animadver- 
sions— Objection  founded  on  Scripture  Precedents — Great  Mistake — Impor- 
tant Difference — Old  Testament  Metaphors — Objection  founded  on  Christ's 
Declaration  to  the  High  Priests,  Matt.  xxvi.  64 — Objection  founded  on 
Christ's  remark  concerning  John,  ch.  xxi.  22 —  How  difficult  to  defend  Er- 
ror—  Objection  founded  on  Christ's  Declaration  that  some  should  not  die 
till  they  had  seen  him  coming  in  his  kingdom,  Matt.  xvi.  27  —  True  Inter- 
pretation— Dissimilarity  between  that  Passage  and  the  one  under  comment 
— How  David  Typified  Christ — Two  Kingdoms,  or  the  same  in  two  different 
Dispensations, 249 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Principal  subject  —  THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST.     REVIEW  OF  THE 
FIGURATIVE  THEORY. 

Remarkable  Exposition  —  Its  Objectionable  Character  —  Defectiveness,  even 
if  the  Text  be  Figurative  —  Common  Rules  of  Interpretation  Reversed  — 
"No  Parallel  Texts,  with  one  exception,  in  the  Old  Testament — The  Point 
to  be  proved  —  No  Historic  Proof  of  the  Figurative  Theory — Inconsistent 
with  Christ's  Mediatorial  Offices  —  A  Word  for  Universalists  —  Character 
of  the  Mediatorial  Dispensation — Fatal  Results — Self-contradiction  —  Va- 
riance with  the  Words  of  Christ — Ingenious  Evasion — Singular  Logic  — 
Embarrassment  of  Commentators  —  How  Occasioned  —  Dr.  Tower's  Opinion 
— Dr.  Campbell's  —  Dr.  Mede's  —  Tense  of  the  Saviour's  words, 271 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Principal  subject  —  JUDGMENT  ADVENT  OF  CHRIST.     THE  TRUE 

EXPOSITION. 

Order  of  Events — Sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  —  Distinguished  from  Christ  him- 
self—  Where  it  will  appear — Its  Nature  —  Difference  between  a  Sign  and 
a  Wonder — The  Sign  the  occasion  of  universal  Mourning  —  The  Reason  — 
Effect  upon  the  Jews  —  A  day  of  salvation  to  them — The  Reason  —  A 
Scene  of  mourning  among  the  Jews  —  Occasion  and  Result — Literal  Com- 
ing of  Christ  —  Scoffers,  and  their  Excuse  —  Believers,  and  their  Danger  — 
The  Personal  Coming  Proved  —  Source  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Thessalo- 
nians — Design  of  the  Parables  in  connection  with  the  Prophecy  —  Christ's 
application  of  the  Parables — The  Judgment  at  his  Coming  —  Extent  of 
Time  embraced  in  the  Prophecy  —  Conclusion  of  the  Prophecy, 291 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Principal  subject — GATHERING  THE  ELECT.     REVIEW  OF  VARI- 
OUS EXPOSITIONS. 

Applied  by  some  to  the  Escape  of  Christians  from  Judea  —  Objection  founded 
on  the  Chronology  of  the  Events  —  Objection  from  its  being  unwarranted 
by  the  Language  of  the  Text  —  Also  from  its  conflict  with  Christ's  own 
Declaration  —  Difference  between  the  Comment  objected  to  and  the  Words 
of  Christ  —  Encouragement  of  Sceptics  —  The  passage  applied  to  the  Call 
of  the  Gentiles  —  Review  —  Misapplication  of  Texts  —  Erroneous  Impres- 
sion—  The  Issue  taken  —  Limitation  of  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews  —  When  the 
Gentiles  were  called  —  How  extensively  the  Gospel  prevailed  previously 
to  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem  —  St.  Paul's  Testimony  —  Eusebius'  —  Mosheim's  — • 
Surprising  Statement  —  When  the  Gospel  Kingdom  began  —  Result  of  the 
Fall  of  Jerusalem  —  State  of  the  Church  subsequently  —  Professor  Stuart's 
Opinions  —  His  method  and  spirit  of  treating  the  passage  —  Is  it  a  literal 
Trumpet?  —  Extremities  of  the  Heavens  —  Whence  are  the  Elect  to  be 
gathered? — Difference  between  Accuracy  and  Literality  —  God's  Trum- 
pet —  Can  the  Dead  hear  ?  —  Illustrations, 306 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Principal  subject — GATHERING  THE  ELECT. 

The  True  Exposition  —  A  Universal  Gathering — Who  are  the  Elect? — Ap- 
plied to  believing  Gentiles  —  Scripture  Proofs — Election  of  the  Gentiles  — 
To  what  Privileges  —  For  what  Reason  —  Applied  to  the  Israelites  —  Scrip- 
ture Proofs  —  Reason  of  their  Election  —  Chosen  as  a  People  —  By  an  ever- 
lasting Covenant  —  They  should  be  preserved  Forever  —  St.  Paul's  View  — 
Two  great  Divisions  of  the  Elect —  Relation  of  the  two  —  Relation  of  the 
two-fold  Gathering — How  the  dead  will  be  Gathered  —  Design  of  the  Res- 
urrection—  Hope  of  the  ancient  Saints  —  Who  will  be  raised  at  the  first 
Resurrection  — The  Elect  in  two  Conditions  —  God's  purpose  togatherthem 
all  — When  —  Where  —  Why  —  How  —  Views  of  the  Apostolical  Church  — 
Gathering  of  those  who  will  be  alive  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord — The  final 
Assembly  —  Examples  of  Gathering  of  the  Elect  —  Design  of  the  Transfig- 
uration on  the  Mount, 820 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Principal  subject — GATHERING  THE  ELECT.     THE  SUBJECT 

APPLIED  TO  THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  JEWS. 

The  point  to  be  established  —  Prophecies  of  Jeremiah,  identifying  the  People, 
their  Restoration,  Rebuilding  of  Jerusalem,  Christ  under  the  name  of  David, 
the  New  Covenant,  <fec. — Further  Quotations  referring  to  the  People,  the 
Time,  the  Event,  the  Extent,  <fec.  — Confirmation  by  Hosea  —  Prophecies  of 
Isaiah,  relating  to  the  Branch,  the  Ensign,  the  Gathering,  the  Union,  the 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Conversion,  the  Great  Battle,  the  Signs  in  the  Heavens,  the  Destruction  of 
the  Wicked,  the  Judgment  of  Satan,  the  Resurrection  of  the  Saints,  the 
Coming  of.  the  Lord,  the  New  Heavens  and  Earth,  <fcc. —  Prophecies  of 
Ezekiel,  relating  particulai'ly  to  Christ's  Reign  over  Israel,  the  Renewal  of 
Palestine,  the  Conversion  and  Restoration,  the  happy  Results,  &c. . . .  340 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Principal  subject  —  GATHERING  THE  ELECT. 

Applied  to  the  Restoration  of  the  Jews — Reasons  for  continuing  the  Subject— 
Ezekiel's  Vision  of  the  Dry  Bones — Design,  and  Substance  of  the  Vision  — 
God's  own  Interpretation  —  Figurative  Language  not  used  to  interpret 
Figurative — Final  Union,  Gathering,  and  Blessedness  of  Israel — A  King- 
dom under  the  reign  of  Messiah — The  Battle  of  Gog  and  Magog — Referred 
to  in  other  parts  of  the  Bible  —  Interpretation  —  Prophecy  of  Zechariah  — 
The  Great  Battle — The  Lord  Revealed  —  The  Victory — Prophecy  of 
Amos — The  Tabernacle  of  David  raised  up  —  Happy  Condition  of  the 
People — Prophecy  of  Moses — The  History  and  Prophecy  blended — True 
conversion,  and  real  Restoration  —  St.  Paul's  Reasoning  —  Synopsis  of  the 
Argument  —  Twenty -nine  Particulars  in  the  Argument  —  The  Conclusion  — 
Angelic  Agency  in  Gathering  the  Elect  —  Examples  —  How  the  present 
Dispensation  will  be  terminated, 363 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Principal  subjects  —  REDEMPTION  OF  THE  SAINTS.    "  THIS  GENE- 
RATION" —  RENOVATION  OF  THE  EARTH  AND  HEAVENS. 

Change  in  the  character  of  the  Discourse — Redemption  drawing  nigh — • 
Nature  of  the  Redemption  — When  and  How  it  will  be  effected — The  Fig- 
tree — The  Kingdom  of  God  —  The  Parables  all  relate  to  One  Period  — 
Nature  of  the  Period  —  Hope  of  the  Saints —  "  This  Generation"  —  Newton's 
Definition  —  Whitby's  Review  —  New  Testament  use  —  Divine  principle  of 
Government  —  Dr.  Clarke's  View  —  Opinion  of  Dr.  Tower —  Of  Mr.  Mede— 
Wolfius — Dr.  Sykes  —  Ancient  Divines  —  English  Definitions  —  Passing 
away  of  the  Earth  and  Heavens — Use  of  the  declaration  —  Ignorance  of  the 
Time — Appropriate  Duty — Nature  of  the  Advent — Pre-Millenial — Proofs- 
Indications —  Condition  of  the  Glutton,  the  Drunkard  and  the  Worldly- 
minded  — Unexpectedness  of  the  Event  —  Consequence, ,  881 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

Principal  subject — PREPARATION  TO  MEET  THE  SON  OF  MAN  AT 
HIS  COMING. 

Ultimate  Reason  —  The  World  before  the  Flood  —  Application  —  A  time  of 
general  Separation  —  Illustrations  —  Two  Men  in  the  Field — Two  Women 
at  the  Mill  —  Renewed  Admonition  —  Illustration  of  the  Unguarded  Houso 


CONTENTS.  XV 

— Application  —  Illustration  of  the  Master  on  a  Journey  —  Duties  of  the 
Servants — The  Porter — Application — A  Model  Servant — The  Unan- 
swered Question — The  Happy  Servant  —  The  Servant  Exalted  —  The  Evil 
Servant — His  Belief  and  Conduct  —  The  Reason — Application — The  Un- 
expected Return  —  Reason  —  Result — Importance  of  Right  Views — The 
Terrible  Doom — The  Cause — The  Contrast  —  Renewed  Admonition  —  The 
Final  Charge  — The  25th  Chap,  of  Matthew— Its  relation  to  the  24th  — 
Design  of  the  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins  — Parable  of  the  Talents  — Why 
the  Description  of  the  Judgment  was  deferred  to  the  close  of  the  Discourse 
—  Conclusion, 407 


APPENDIX   I. 


NOTE  A, —  Refers  to  Mr.  Strong's  Harmony, Page    421 

NOTE  B, —  A  Historical  Proof  that  one  of  the  False  Christs  pretended  to  be 
the  Christ  that  had  once  before  been  sent  into  the  world, 421 

NOTE  C, —  Additional  Proof  that  the  Impostors  might  deceive  the  Elect,     421 

NOTE  D, —  ( Very  important,}  —  The  Opinions  of  Dr.  Tower,  and  other  eminent 
men,  in  relation  to  the  duration  of  the  Tribulation  of  those  days ;  showing 
that  the  time  is  not  yet  expired, 421 

NOTE  E, —  Mr.  Lowth's,  Mr.  Mede's,  and  Dr.  Tower's  opinion  respecting  the 
Gog  and  Magog  of  Ezekiel,  and  the  Gog  and  Magog  of  St.  John, 422 

NOTE  F, —  Refers  to  the  commotion  of  the  Sea  at  the  time  of  the  Second  Ad- 
vent ;  and  how  it  will  occasion  the  distress  and  perplexity  of  the  nations,  423 

NOTE  G, —  (Long  and  very  important,)  Relating  to  the  character  of  the  Media- 
torial Dispensation :  and  showing  the  inconsistency  of  ascribing  to  Christ 
the  judgments  that  were  inflicted  upon  the  Jews.  The  passages  in  the  Bible 
which  speak  of  Christ  as  taking  vengeance  are  all  examined,  and  shown 
to  refer  to  the  next  dispensation, 423 

NOTE  II, — Explaining  how  the  Sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven  may  be 
seen  by  all  nations  of  the  earth, 427 

NOTE  I, —  Explains  some  obscure  portions  of  the  last  three  chapters  of  Zech- 
ariah,  to  which  there  have  been  previous  references, 428 

NOTE  J, —  (Long  and  important,)  —  Explaining  why  our  Lord  resumed  the  sub- 
ject of  his  Coming,  after  alluding  to  it  Referring  also  to  the  Time,  Cir- 
cumstances, and  Order  of  Events,  when  Christ  comes,  as  the  Son  of  man, 
and  is  Inaugurated  into  his  everlasting  Kingdom, 429 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

NOTE  K, —  Refers  to  the  Bpecific  Time  (in  relation  to  other  events)  when  the 
Last  Trump  shall  be  sounded, 432 

NOTE  L, —  Relates  to  the  relative  Order  of  the  Events  connected  with  the 
Second  Coming  of  Christ, 433 

NOTE  M, —  Refers  to  the  practice  and  propriety  of  incorporating  the  Name  of 
God  with  persons  and  places.  The  Note  has  special  reference  to  the  pre- 
diction that  Jerusalem  is  yet  to  be  called,  The  Lord  our  Righteousness,  434 

NOTE  N, —  (Long  and  very  important,)  —  Relates  principally  to  the  Location 
of  the  everlasting  Residence  of  the  Saints ;  the  Necessity  and  Design  of 
the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead ;  and  the  character  of  the  New  Heavens  and 
New  Earth.  In  this  note  is  a  long  and  highly  interesting  extract  from  the 
Sermon  on  this  subject  by  Dr.  Chalmers, 434 

NOTE  O, —  Shows  how  the  Theory  of  this  Exposition  harmonizes  the  appa- 
rently confused  and  conflicting  descriptions  of  the  closing  up  of  the  present 
Dispensation, 437 

NOTE  P, — (Long  and  very  Important,)  —  Gives  the  Doctrine  of  the  Millennium 
as  held  by  the  Primitive  Christian  Church, 439 

NOTE  Q, —  (Long  and  very  important,) — A  critical  examination  of  the  term, 
This  Generation,  showing  the  Primary  and  Scripture  use, 442 

NOTE  R, —  Relates  to  an  inconsistent  method  of  explaining  terms  which  relate 
to  the  whole  world,  by  applying  them  to  the  land  of  Jitdea, 444 

NOTE  S, — Treats  of  the  Influence  which  the  doctrine  maintained  in  this  Trea- 
tise will  be  likely  to  exert  upon  the  benevolent  enterprises  of  the  age,  444 


APPENDIX   II. 


PAET  I. — A  Synopsis  of  Josephus'  History  of  the  Jewish  War.  Period  — 
From  the  time  Judea  became  a  Roman  Province,  to  the  flight  of  Cestius 
Gallus, 447 

PABT  II. —  Period  —  From  the  flight  of  Cestius,  to  the  Siege  of  Jerusalem 
by  Titus.  Here  is  shown  the  Occasion,  Beginning,  Progress,  and  Re- 
sult of  the  Jewish  and  Roman  "War.  Every  Battle,  Encampment,  March, 
and  Siege  is  noticed.  This  Appendix  is  highly  important  to  a  proper  un- 
derstanding of  the  Lord's  Prophecy, 458 


THE  HARMONY 

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(28) 


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(29) 


HABIOM  AID  EXPOSITION. 


PART   FIRST. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Principal  subject — THE  HARMONY. 

Differs  from  others — When  first  designed — How  originated — Effect  of  Trans- 
positions— xviL  chap,  of  Luke — Relation  of  the  different  Records  to  each 
other — Matthew's  record  adopted  as  the  principal  one  —  Reasons  —  Why 
neither  of  the  Evangelists  was  inspired  to  preserve  the  whole  of  the  Lord's 
Discourse — Wise  Design — Testimony  —  How  applied  to  Prophecy — Per- 
fection in  Imperfection — Design  of  Mystery  —  Relation  of  Parts  to  the 
Whole  —  Illustrations. 

1.  IT  will  be  perceived  at  once  that  the  Harmony  herewith 
submitted  is  arranged  after  a  new  method.     Several  have 
been  examined,  and  from  some  of  them  important  suggestions 
have  been  derived ;  but  in  this  arrangement  no  one  has  been 
followed.     Indeed,  the  author  has  found  no  one  to  follow.* 
In  a  few  instances  the  author's  convictions  have  led  him  to 
differ  from  the  usual  arrangement  of  verses,  as  found  in  the 
various  Harmonies  which  he  has  examined. 

2.  The  author  takes  pleasure  in  acknowledging  himself 
indebted  for  several  valuable  thoughts,  to  an  article  in  the 
Methodist  Quarterly  Keview  for  July,  1842,  on  the  Coming 
of  Christ. 

Even  so  long  ago  as  the  great  agitation  on  the  subject  of 
the  Second  Advent,  in  1842  and  J43,  the  author  had  in 
contemplation  the  publication  of  a  Treatise  on  the  xxiv.  chap- 

*See  Note  A  in  the  Appendix. 


32  HAKMONY   AND    EXPOSITION. 

ter  of  Matthew ;  and  did,  in  fact,  several  years  since,  give 
several  expository  lectures,  which  embodied  the  principal  ele- 
ments of  this  Harmony  and  Exposition. 

3.  The  design  which  led  to  the  formation  of  this  Harmony, 
made  it  desirable  that  all  which  was  spoken  by  our  Lord  in 
the  discourse  under  notice,  should  be  constantly  and  connect- 
edly before  the  eye.     The  paragraph  and  verse  Harmonies  in 
common  use  are  a  great  assistance  in  this  respect ;  but  still 
the  reader  is  under  the  necessity  of  forming  in  his  own  mind 
a  Harmony,  having  more  particular  reference  to  the  collocation 
of  the  sentences  and  words  of  the  discourse. 

4.  From  this  necessity  of  a  mental  Harmony,  to  supply  the 
common  deficiency  of  the  written,  the  idea  was  suggested  of 
writing  out  in  full  what  must  of  necessity  exist  in  the  mind, 
in  order  to  be  rigidly  systematic  in  the  examination  of  the 
prophecy.     It  is  certain  that  neither  of  the  three  evangelists 
has  preserved  all  that  the  Saviour  uttered ;  for  we  find  in 
each  some  things  which  are  omitted  by  the  others.     And  it  is 
also  certain  that  whatever  we  find  in  any  of  the  three,  as  a 
part  of  the  discourse,  must  have  been  spoken  on  that  occa- 
sion ;  otherwise,  the  record  would  not  be  authentic. 

5.  Now,  whatever  was  spoken,  must  have  been  said  in 
some  definite  order.     Some  things  were  referred  to  before 
some  other  things ;  as,  for  example,  the  coming  of  the  false 
Christs  before  the  coming  of  the  true  Christ.     And  it  is  obvi- 
ously of  great  importance  to  ascertain,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
the  exact  order  in  which  the  various  items  of  the  discourse 
succeeded  one  another  in  the  original  delivery. 

But  this  cannot  be  done  by  merely  arranging  oppositely 
the  different  verses  and  paragraphs,  as  they  are  found  in  the 
several  records.  It  is  necessary  to  have  a  natural  collocation 
of  all  the  sentences  and  words  ;  for  this  will  give  us  the  con- 
secutive ideas  that  constitute  the  discourse.  Nothing  short  of 
this  will  perfectly  answer  the  purpose  in  a  critical  analysis  of 
the  composition. 

6.  This  is  attempted  in  this  newly  arranged  Harmony. 
But  with  how  much  success,  the  reader  who  has  critically 
investigated  the  subject,  is  best  qualified  to  decide.    The 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  33 

position  of  every  sentence,  and  of  every  word,  has  been  sub- 
jected to  a  thorough  examination.  In  some  places  the  author 
was  in  doubt  concerning  the  proper  place  of  a  verse,  or  sen- 
tence. But  in  no  instance  did  this  occur  in  what  may  be 
termed  the  more  important  portions  of  the  prophecy. 

The  Harmony  of  Muenscher  has  been  of  much  real  service 
in  transcribing  the  sacred  text ;  though  it  has  not  been  in  all 
cases  adopted  in  the  arrangement  of  either  the  sentences  or 
verses. 

7.  Notwithstanding  the  fact,  that  the  Harmony  herewith 
presented  to  the  reader,  has  brought  together  into  one  con- 
tinuous narrative  all  that  is  recorded  in  the  three  inspired 
sketches  of  our  Lord's  discourse,  yet,  as  it  may  be  perceived, 
the  arrangement  of  the  sentences  does  not  sensibly  disarrange 
the  regular  succession  of  thought. 

And  this  collocation  of  all  the  sentences  in  the  several 
records,  has  been  made  without  any  respect  to  the  literary 
character  of  the  composition,  as  amended  ;  the  only  guiding 
inquiry  was  respecting  the  place  where  each  properly  belongs. 

Yet  how  unbroken  and  regular  the  succession  of  thought ! 
The  transitions  in  the  amended  composition  are  usually  even 
less  abrupt  than  in  the  individual  records. 

In  some  cases  even  greater  perspicuity  and  force  are  given 
to  the  preceding  and  succeeding  verses,  by  the  introduction 
of  omitted  sentences  or  verses.  See  this  exemplified  in  the 
effect  produced  by  placing  the  22d  verse  of  Luke  between 
the  18th  and  19th  verses  of  Matthew.  And  there,  undenia- 
bly, is  the  proper  position  of  that  verse. 

See,  also,  what  a  difference  it  sometimes  makes  in  the 
definiteness  of  the  sentiment,  by  the  transfer  of  a  single  ex- 
pression, as  in  the  33d  verse  of  Matthew. 

8.  As  the  xvii.  chapter  of  Luke  also  contains  something  on 
the  same  subject,  it  was  considered  advisable  to  give  particu- 
lar prominency  to  the  references  to  that  chapter. 

By  noticing  the  frequent  transpositions  of  the  verses  of 

that  chapter,  as  they  are  arranged  in  harmony  with  the  more 

extended  discourse,  it  will  be  observed  that  the  succession  of 

thought  differs  essentially  from  the  order  in  the  discourse  in 

3 


34:  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

Matthew  ;  and  in  several  other  particulars  it  is  quite  dissimi- 
lar to  the  one  forming  the  subject  of  this  Treatise. 

It  ought  not,  therefore,  to  guide  us  in  deciding  the  consecu- 
tive relations  of  the  sentences  in  the  more  full  and  perfect 
record. 

One  of  the  transpositions  is  so  very  important,  and  has  so 
greatly  embarrassed  the  usual  exposition  of  the  prophecy  in 
Matthew,  that  it  has  been  deemed  expedient  to  consider  the 
matter  in  a  chapter  by  itself. 

9.  It  will  be  perceived  that  the  record  of  Matthew  has 
been  selected,  in  the  effort  to  preserve  the  original  order  of 
the  discourse.    The  principal  reasons  for  this,  are,  (1.)  Because 
the  Holy  Ghost  seems  to  have  designed  the  record  of  Matthew 
for  the  principal  history  of  this  remarkable  prophecy. 

The  other  histories  appear  to  be,  to  some  extent,  supple- 
mentary, and  designed  to  preserve  what  was  omitted  by  the 
first.  But,  in  order  to  be  perspicuous,  it  was  necessary  for 
the  supplementary  writers  to  give  a  sufficiency  of  the  original 
discourse  to  show  where  their  emendations  belong,  and  thus 
fill  out  to  completion  the  original  record. 

10.  On  a  careful  examination  of  the  three  records,  it  will 
not  usually  be  difficult  to  know  just  where  to  put  the  sup- 
plemental portions  ;  for  Divine  Wisdom  has  so  directed,  that 
throughout  each  of  the  records,  there  are  enough  of  the 
prominent  points  of  general  agreement  to  guide  us  in  forming 
all  the  points  of  the  discourse  into  a  complete  whole.     (2.)  A 
second  reason  for  adopting  the  sketch  of  Matthew  as  the 
governing  record,  is,  because  it  is  not  only  more  full  and 
perfect,  but  it  is  also  connected  with  a  succeeding  chapter 
-which  is  omitted  by  both  the  others.     Perhaps  the  principal 
reason  why  the  other  evangelists  were  not  moved  to  preserve 
the  important  parables,  and  the  description  of  the  judgment 
scene,  which  are  found  in  the  xxv.  chapter  of  Matthew,  was, 
because  the  first  historian  was  inspired  to  make  so  perfect  a 
record,  that  supplementary  additions  were  unnecessary. 

11.  If  it  should  be  inquired,  why  the  Holy  Spirit  should 
move  the  first  historian  to  keep  such  a  perfect  record  of  the 
illustrative  parables  and  judgment  scene,  as  to  render  sup- 


9  HARMONT  AXV  EXPOSITION.  35 

C 

plemental  emendations  unnecessary,  while,  in  the  more 
important  portions  of  the  prophecy,  the  first  record  is  so 
incomplete  as  to  need  additions  2  The  answer  would  be  this : 
It  has  pleased  God  to  proceed  in  the  matter  on  the  usual  plan 
of  giving  testimony,  both  in  the  publication  and  preservation 
of  important  facts. 

But  in  using  testimony  to  convince  the  world,  it  was 
deemed  important  to  have  more  than  one  witness,  that  "  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  might  be 
established."  The  same  wisdom  that  guides  the  best  human 
governments  in  matters  of  testimony,  would  have  chosen  this 
very  method  of  communicating  divine  truth,  if  it  had  com- 
prehended the  things  which  are  divine  as  the  things  which, 
pertain  to  this  world. 

Inspiration  has  not  erred  in  conforming  the  method  of  reve- 
lation to  the  established  judicial  usages  of  the  wisest  govern- 
ments, 

12.  But  if  the  primary  witness  had  been  led  to  give  a  full, 
regular,  and  perfect  narration  of  the  matter,  the  other  wit- 
nesses would  have  had  either  nothing  to  testify,  or  else  woul<f 
have  been  compelled  to  testify  to  precisely  the  same  thing/ 
as  the  other  ;  and  which,  in  reporting  a  discourse^  must  hav* 
required  the  exact  preservation  of  the  language  and  order. 
In  the  former  case,  this  would  have  been  a  virtual  exclusion 
of  all  additional  testimony ;  in  the  latter,  it  would  have  too 
much  the  appearance  of  collusion. 

13.  It  is  not  a  new  idea,  that,  in  important  matters  of  fact 
and  prophecy,  the  Holy  Spirit  has  purposely  shut  out  every 
appearance,  and  every  rational  suspicion,  of  collusion.     The 
witnesses  of  both  fact  and  prophecy  are  usually  independent 
of  each  other.     They  agree  in  the  principal  points  of  their 
testimony ;  and  they  do  not  disagree  anywhere.     The  omis- 
sions of  one,  and  the  additions  of  another,  when  all  are  framed 
together,  form  a  beautiful  and  perfectly  harmonious  testimony. 

14.  And,  notwithstanding  the  objections  and  cavils  of  Infi- 
delity, the  truths  of  the  Bible  are  without  doubt  far  better 
established  by  this  kind  of  testimony,  than  they  could  be  by 
any  other. 


36  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

Had  all  the  inspired  witnesses  left  their  testimony  as  if  they 
had  copied  verbatim  from  some  original  document,  the  same 
Infidelity  that  now  cavils  at  the  apparent  disagreements, 
omissions,  and  additions,  would  then  undoubtedly  be  just  as 
ready  to  cavil  at  the  appearance  of  collusion ;  and  would 
probably  make  the  verbatim  of  the  witnesses  a  stronger  objec- 
tion, than  the  present  verbal  difference  with  substantial 
agreement. 

15.  These  observations  may  not  appear  to  be  as  applicable 
to  matters  of  prophecy,  as  to  matters  of  history ;  for,  some 
may  say,  the  prophecy  is  its  own  witness ;  its  fulfillment  proves 
its  truth.     True,  indeed ;  but  is  it  of  no  consequence  to  know 
when,  where,  and  by  whom,  the  prediction  was  uttered? 
Should  not  the  prophet  be  identified  with  his  own  prophecy, 
so  as  to  establish  completely  his  inspiration  ?     So  as  effectu- 
ally to  guard  against  the  possible  appropriation  of  a  wonderful 
prediction  for  the  countenance  and  propagation  of  a  subse- 
quent imposture  ?     But  how  can  the  identity  of  a  prophet  be 
preserved  in  inseparable  connection  with  his  own  predictions, 
if  his  words  are  not  preserved  ?     And  is  not  the  preservation 
of  words,  and  times,  and  circumstances,  and  personalities,  a 
proper  subject  of  testimony  ? 

16.  The  predictions  which  form  the  subject  of  this  Exposi- 
tion, are  of  too  much  consequence,  in  the  great  and  growing 
controversy  between  truth  and  error,  to  be  left  for  the  testi- 
mony of  a  single  witness.     And  Inspiration  was  too  wise  to 
move  the  first  and  principal  witness  to  give  a  testimony  that 
should,  in  eflfect,  exclude  all  others.     Hence,  in  the  nature  of 
the  case,  we  should  expect  to  find  the  first  record  imperfect 
in  itself,  but  perfect  as  apart.     This  is  the  general  nature  of 
the  prophecies  and  histories  that  relate  to  the  important  facts 
in  the  Saviour's  life,  death,  and  resurrection.     And  it  is  a 
superficial  view  of  things  which  leads  any  one  to  wish  it  were 
otherwise.     The  solution  of  some  problems  is  altogether  more 
interesting  when  wrought  out,  than  when  merely  stated.     Yet 
we  always  need  some  primary  and  self-evident  principles  to 
begin  with. 

17.  So,  to  some  extent,  it  is  with  some  of  the  great  facts, 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  37 

and  doctrines,  and  prophecies  which  are  found  in  the  Bible. 
God  was  too  conversant  with  man's  nature  and  necessities, 
and  too  regardful  of  his  well-being,  to  give  to  him  a  revela- 
tion, which  had  nothing  about  it  to  call  into  exercise,  and 
strengthen,  and  happify  those  strong,  vigorous  minds,  whose 
health,  and  enjoyment,  and  usefulness  are  inseparably  con- 
nected with  the  investigation  and  mastery  of  deep,  and  broad, 
and  elevating  subjects.  It  formed  a  part  of  the  original 
design,  that  mind  should  be  arrested,  exercised,  expanded, 
elevated,  purified,  andhappified  by  subjects  that  lead  directly 
heavenward,  and  not  be  doomed  to  the  everlasting  drudgery 
of  the  research,  discovery,  and  demonstration  of  compara- 
tively unimportant  matters. 

18.  And  where  shall  we  look  for  such  themes  as  we  have 
judged  to  be  designed  for  man's  welfare  ?     Shall  we  look  for 
them  in  connection  with  the  less  important,  and  less  interest- 
ing matters  which  form  the  primary  and  self-evident  principles 
in  theology?     Or  shall  we  turn  to  the  great   and  thrilling 
subjects  which  have  about  them  a  sufficiency  of  interest  to 
attract  and  rivet  the  universal  attention  ?  —  which,  on  this 
very  account,  may  be  selected  as  the  only  appropriate  themes 
to  be  held  in  connection  with  the  great  and  sometimes  mys- 
terious problems  that  shall  exercise  the  restless,  ambitious, 
and  growing  mind. 

To  such  we  will  turn.  And  we  will  not  be  disappointed  in 
our  anticipations  of  some  solutions  to  be  wrought  out,  by 
patience  and  labor,  in  such  a  thrilling  subject  as  the  final 
destiny  of  the  world. 

19.  Not  to  be  diverted,  however,  from  the  former  illustra- 
tion,— it  may  be  observed,  that  the  precise  form  in  which  we 
/ind  the  records  of  the  great  prophecy  in  question,  may  prove 
t(5  be,  after  all,  the  very  form  which  is  best  adapted  to  secure 
and  exercise  the  world's  attention.     The  design  of  the  Infi- 
nite "Wisdom  which  moved  the  evangelists  thus  to  record  their 
testimony,  was  doubtlessly  as  good  and  considerate,  as  the 
same  "Wisdom  which,  in  other  things,  shows  itself  by  creating 
component  parts  imperfect^  in  themselves  considered,  but 
perfect,  when  considered  as  pa/rts.    And  is  it  not  sufficiently 


38  HABMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

evident,  that,  with  finite  things,  the   highest  perfection  is 
relative  ? 

20.  If  there  are  embarrassments  and  difficulties  connected 
with  the  kind  of  testimony  which  we  have  supposed  in  the 
case  before  us,  nevertheless,  it  must  be   endured,  for  the 
nature  of  the  case  admits  of  nothing  better.     And  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  the  disadvantages  of  such  a  case  are, 
after  all,  less  than  would  result  from  any  other  system. 

If  this  be  so,  we  should  no  more  complain  of  the  embar- 
rassments that  may  result,  than  of  the  system  of  creating 
human  beings,  merely  because  the  foot,  or  the  hand,  as  apart, 
has  not  all  the  attributes  and  excellences  of  the  body  itself, 
which  is  the  union  of  all  the  individual  parts. 

21.  The  imperfection  of  the  individual  records  of  our  Sa- 
viour's  discourse,   is   such  as  the  perfection  of  the  design 
rendered  expedient  and  necessary.     It  was  —  so  to  speak — 
as  the  imperfection  of  a  hand,  considered  merely  of  itself, 
and  not  as  a  part  of  something  else.     It  is  imperfect,  in  this 
specific  sense,  that  it  has  not  eyes,  ears,  and  the  other  mem- 
bers and  faculties  of  the  body  which  it  helps  to  form. 

But,  considered  as  a  part,  and  in  respect  to  its  relations,  it 
is  as  perfect  as  the  body  to  which  it  belongs. 

22.  Let  us  not,  then,  view  with  regret  and  suspicion  the 
(in  this  sense)  imperfect  records  which  have  preserved  for  us 
the  wonderful  discourse  which  we  are  about  to  review.     Let 
not  short-sighted,  caviling  Infidelity  rob  us  of  our  joy  and 
boast  in  believing  that  "  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration 
of  God  ; "  and  that  even  the  fragmentary  records  of  some 
parts,  and  the  supplementary  records  of  others,  are  just  as 
they  should  be :     "  Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemeth  good 
unto  thee."     But  we  must  gather  up  these  fragments,  that 
nothing  be  lost.    This  the  Harmony  professes  to  do ;  and, 
still  further,  professes  to  restore  the  various  parts  according 
to  their  original  order. 


HAKMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  39 


CHAPTER  II. 

Principal  subject — 'TRANSPOSITION  OF  LUKE  xvn.  31-33. 

V.  principal  difficulty  in  interpreting  the  Prophecy — Two  classes  of  Inter 
preters  —  Perplexity  of  Orthodox  Expositors  —  Fanciful  Expositions  —  How 
to  detect  the  Transposition  —  Which  record  should  be  corrected  —  Are  Luke 
xvii.  and  Matt.  xxiv.  parallel  ?  —  Which  record  is  most  complete  —  Christ's 
method  of  Teaching  —  When  the  Apostles  were  inspired  —  Character  of  the 
First  References  to  the  subjects  of  the  great  Prophetic  Discourse  —  Other 
Transpositions  —  The  Question  at  issue. 

1.  THE  principal  difficulty  in  harmonizing  and  applying 
the  different  sketches  of  our  Lord's  discourse  arises  from  this 
single  fact :    In  Matthew's  record,  the  admonition  to  those  up- 
on the  house-top,  directing  them  not  to  come  down  to  take 
anything  out  of  the  house,  appears  to  belong  to  the  period  of 
the  Roman  invasion.     But  in  Luke  xvii.  the  same  admonition 
appears  to  belong  to  the  period  that  we  usually  apply  to  the 
coming  of  Christ.     Now,  when  we  apply  any  portion  of  the 
prophecy  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  the  objector  is  ready  to 
meet  us  with  the  remark,  that  in  the  account  given  by  Luke, 
where  he  is  speaking  of  the  coming  of  Christ,  he  uses  the  identi- 
cal admonition  that,  in  another  place,  we  apply  to  the  period 
of  the  Roman  war.    Therefore  it  is  concluded  by  some  that 
the  coming  of  Christ  spoken  of  in  the  prophecy,  was  not  a  lit- 
eral, personal  coming,  but  a  figurative,  or  judicial  coming,  by 
the  instrumentality  of  the  Romans. 

Those  who  adopt  this  conclusion  are  divided  into  two  wide- 
ly different  classes :  (1.)  Those  who  deny  the  doctrine  of  a  sec- 
ond personal  advent  of  Christ,  as  it  is  held  by  the  orthodox 
churches  :  and,  (2.)  Those  who  believe  that  the  Bible  teaches 
such  a  doctrine  in  other  places,  but  understand  the  language 
in  this  prophecy  as  being  figurative. 

2.  Those  of  the  class  first  mentioned  have  this  in  their  fa- 
vor :  that  the  allusions  to  the  coming  of  Christ  in  this  dis- 
course are  apparently  as  plain  and  literal  as  in  any  other  part 


40  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

of  the  Bible.  And  if  these  are  admitted  to  be  metaphorical, 
it  is  with  much  plausibility  that  those  who  deny  the  doctrine 
of  the  second  coming  to  judgment,  insist  upon  a  figurative 
interpretation  of  the  other  passages.  And,  besides,  the  ortho- 
dox divine  has  to  admit  that  some  of  our  Saviour's  admoni- 
tions, which  in  Luke  xvii.  are  given  in  connection  with  allu- 
sions to  the  second  coming,  are,  in  the  other  places,  given 
undeniably  in  connection  with  matters  pertaining  to  the 
Eoman  war. 

Here  the  opponents  of  the  orthodox  claim  to  find  proof  of 
the  figurativeness  of  the  coming  spoken  of,  and  of  its  being  in 
some  way  connected  with  the  judgments  that  are  already  past. 
And,  if  in  this  place,  why  not  elsewhere  ? 

3.  And  this  has  likewise  greatly  perplexed   our  divines, 
when  they  have  undertaken  to  point  out  and  separate  the  por- 
tions that  belong  to  the  two  very  different  periods.     They 
have  been  in  doubt  to  which  of  the  events  to  apply  the  ad- 
monitions to  those  on  the  house-top,  as  found  in  the  xvii.  of 
Luke.     If  they  apply  that  portion  to  the  second  advent,  as 
the  connection  would  seem  to  warrant ;  then  what  shall  be 
done  with  the  same  words,  where  they  as  evidently  belong  to 
the  period  of  the  war  ? 

If  they  apply  them  to  the  Roman  war,  then  how  dispose  of 
the  passages  that  we  claim  to  relate  to  the  literal  coming  ? 
Here  the  orthodox  divines  have  found  themselves  greatly  em- 
barrassed. And  their  opponents  have  not  been  either  slow  to 
perceive  it,  or  reluctant  to  improve  it. 

4.  Here  lies  the  principal  difficulty  in  giving  a  consecutive, 
systematic,  and  satisfactory  interpretation  of  this  wonderful 
discourse. 

All  the  rest  is  comparatively  easy.  But  while  this  difficul- 
ty remains,  the  orthodox  expounders  will  continue  to  bewilder 
and  confound  their  readers,  by  the  unsatisfying  theories  of 
double  prophecy,  of  typical  events,  or  of  allegorical  imagery. 
And  so  long  as  this  difficulty  is  allowed  to  modify  or  govern 
our  expositions  of  the  general  subject,  so  long  will  the  ortho- 
dox contribute  to  strengthen  the  hands  of  his  opponent  by 
those  idle  fancies,  and  groundless  assertions,  which  have  be- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  41 

come  stereotyped  as  expositions  of  such  verses  as  describe  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,  and  the  darkening  and  falling  of  the 
luminaries  of  heaven.  In  the  appropriate  place  in  this  Expo- 
sition, these  stereotyped  fancies  will  be  properly  attended  to. 
And  if  they  are  not  demonstrated  to  be  fancies,  then  the  au- 
thor of  this  Treatise  will  acknowledge  his  work  to  be  an  en- 
tire failure.  The  reader  is  premonished,  however,  that  he 
will  then  meet  with  some  surprising/^cfe  ;  such  facts  as  will 
contribute  not  a  little  to  settle  this  whole  matter  of  allegori- 
cal interpretation. 

5.  In  the  verses  of  the  xvii.  of  Luke,  of  which  we  are  now 
speaking,  the  two  widely  separated  events  are   seemingly 
blended  together.     Did  it  never  occur  to  you,  reader,  that 
those  verses  are  not  in  their  proper  place  in  the  discourse  f 

Turn,  now,  either  to  the  parallel  places  in  the  Scriptures, 
or  to  the  Harmony  in  this  Treatise,  and  see  for  yourself  that 
the  verses  are  transposed  from  their  relative  position  in  the 
discourse. 

You  perceive  that  the  verses  relating  to  those  admonitions 
in  question,  in  order  to  be  opposed  to  the  parallel  verses  in 
the  other  places,  have  to  be  taken  out  of  their  present  con- 
nections in  Luke  xvii.,  and  placed  in  advance  of  their  present 
numerical  order.  And  where  do  they  appear,  when  placed 
oppositely  to  their  parallels  in  the  other  records  ? 

It  is  easy  to  see  :  they  appear  just  where  they  properly  be- 
long :  they  are  found  in  that  portion  of  the  discourse  which 
all  admit  refers  to  the  Roman  war.  It  is  obvious,  then,  that 
these  verses,  as  they  stand  in  Luke  xvii.,  are  transposed.  Put 
them  where  the  other  records  place  them,  and  the  principal 
hindrance  to  a  consistent  interpretation  of  our  Lord's  prophet- 
ic discourse  is  taken  away.  The  importance  of  noticing  this 
matter  is  sufficiently  obvious.  No  theory,  no  interpretation, 
no  general  conclusion,  can  be  deemed  complete  and  reliable, 
if  this  remarkable  circumstance  is  not  duly  considered. 

No  good  can  result  from  overlooking  it,  or  from  treating  it 
as  a  matter  of  little  moment. 

6.  A  question  still  remains  :  admitting  the  transposition  of 
the  verses  in  question,  how  shall  the  relative  order  of  the  ver- 


4:2  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

ses  in  the  discourse  be  determined  ?  Shall  the  other  records  be 
arranged  to  agree  with  the  xvii.  of  Luke  ?  or  shall  the  order 
of  this  chapter  be  made  to  harmonize  with  the  others  ?  It 
is  a  plain  question,  and  a  question  of  some  importance  to  the 
general  subject.  Our  remaining  observations  in  this  chapter 
will  bear  upon  this  point. 

"We  have  already  been  reminded  that,  of  the  several  records 
of  our  Lord's  prophetic  discourse,  no  one  is  full  and  perfect 
in  itself.  Even  the  most  lengthy  and  complete  account  giv- 
en by  Matthew  omits  several  things  of  great  importance, 
which  are  supplied  by  the  others.  And,  in  one  case,  (to  be 
particularly  noticed  hereafter,)  Matthew  omitted  one  verse 
that  throws  a  flood  of  light  upon  the  obscurest  portion  of  the 
predictions.  Indeed,  the  verse  supplied  from  Luke  xxi.  24, 
may  be  regarded  as  the  most  important  explanatory  verse  in 
the  whole  body  of  records. 

In  the  proper  place  it  will  be  shown  to  be  the  connecting 
link  between  the  most  distant  periods,  joining  together  the 
beginning  and  the  ending  of  the  predicted  events.  What 
would  have  been  the  result,  if  this  important  verse  had  been 
omitted  also  by  Luke  ?  It  is  needless  to  inquire  :  the  ques- 
tion has  been  sufficiently  answered  by  those  who  undertake 
to  expound  Matthew,  without  noticing,  in  its  relative  order, 
the  verse  supplied  by  Luke.  The  importance  of  this  verse, 
and  the  consequence  of  overlooking,  or  misplacing  it,  will  not 
now  be  exhibited,  but  reserved  for  the  Exposition. 

7.  The  principal  difficulty  in  harmonizing  and  applying  the 
different  records  of  the  prophetic  discourse,  it  has  been  re- 
marked, is  on  account  of  the  transposed  verses  in  Luke  xvii. 

It  is  now  appropriate  to  ascertain  what  influence  those  ver- 
ses should  have  in  deciding  the  relative  order  of  the  narration. 
And  the  first  remark  is  this  :  Our  Lord's  discourse,  as  there 
recorded,  was  not  delivered  on  the  same  occasion,  nor  in  an- 
swer to  the  same  inquiries,  that  we  find  originated  the  dis- 
course recorded  in  the  other  places.  And  although  there  is,  to 
some  extent,  a  general  parallelism,  we  are  not  certain  that 
either  was  designed  to  be  a  proper  parallel  of  the  other. 

We  need  not,  therefore,  feel  ourselves  obliged  to  restrain 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  43 

the  natural  interpretation  of  the  discourse  about  the  temple, 
simply  because,  in  some  other  discourse,  a  matter  was  intro- 
duced in  a  different  relative  order.  But  if  we  conclude  that 
the  two  discourses  were  designed  to  be  parallel,  then  we 
should  notice  that  these  transposed  verses  are  found,  as  the 
record  shows,  in  a  very  brief  and  broken  narrative  of  what 
was  said  on  the  general  subject ;  and  without  any  other  ac- 
count of  the  same  discourse,  to  fill  up  and  elucidate  that  single, 
and  evidently  imperfect  record  —  (imperfect,  as  explained  in 
a  previous  chapter.) 

"What  other  things  our  Saviour  said  on  that  occasion, — 
things  (as  in  the  other  case)  elucidating  the  nature  and  order 
of  events,  we  are  as  ignorant  as  we  must  have  remained  in 
respect  to  many  things  in  the  temple  discourse,  if  the  subse- 
quent records  had  not  gathered  up  and  preserved  them. 

8.  Can  it  be  wise,  then,  that  the  order  of  the  narration  of 
that  single  and  imperfect  sketch  should  be  made  of  so  much 
greater  importance  than  the  fuller  narration  of  the  three-fold 
and  perfected  record  ?     Shall  we  change  the  whole  order  and 
design  of  the  natural  exposition  of  the  elucidated  and  com- 
pleted record,  simply  because  the  same  order  of  relation  is 
not  observed  in  another  record  ?     Shall  we  correct  the  perfect 
by  the  imperfect  ?     Shall  the  three-fold  testimony  be  set  aside 
for  the  single  testimony  ?     Shall  what  we  know  to  be  as  com- 
plete as  Inspiration  designed  it,  be  distorted  in  its  natural  or- 
der by  what  we  have  reason  to  believe  is  not  as  complete  as 
it  was  designed  ? 

For  the  great  discourse  which  is  found  in  the  three  evan- 
gelists, was  delivered  subsequently  to  the  othea:  and,  if  it  is  on 
the  same  subject,  it  must  have  been  designed  as  an  improve- 
ment upon  the  other,  as  its  very  appearance  proves. 

9.  This  leads  to  another  remark  :     Our  Saviour  was  in  the 
custom  of  presenting  subjects  to  the  minds  of  his  disciples, 
that  they  might  become  themes  of  inquiry  and  meditation. 
He  was  also  accustomed  to  give  them  information  on  various 
subjects,  not  all  at  once,  in  its  fullness,  but  gradually,  and 
from  time  to  time,  as  he  judged  them  able  to  receive  it,  until 
they  had  obtained  a  full  understanding  of  the  matter. 

?*  OF  '•  ^ 


44  HAKMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

"We  should  constantly  remember  that  the  disciples  were  not 
fully  inspired  from  the  first ;  but  were  slow  of  apprehension, 
liable  to  mistake,  and  even  fell  into  errors  and  misconceptions 
about  the  very  matters  on  which  Christ  had  been  speaking. 

10.  This  state  of  things  continued,  with  some  improvement, 
until  they  were  finally  and  fully  inspired  to  act  in  the  Saviour's 
place.     "When  Christ  saw  fit  to  introduce  an  important  sub- 
ject, he  sometimes  designedly  left  his  communications  unfin- 
ished, that  he  might  resume  and  complete  them  at  a  more 
convenient  or  appropriate  time. 

Thus  in  regard  to  his  departure  from  them,  his  crucifixion, 
the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  &c. 

Now,  would  it  not  have  been  exceedingly  unwise  for  the 
disciples  to  use  those  first,  unfinished  instructions  as  the  crite- 
rion by  which  to  regulate  the  order,  and  decide  the  nature,  of 
the  more  full  and  finished  communications  ? 

The  case  in  hand  is  quite  similar :  Our  Lord,  designing  to 
be  more  full  and  explicit  at  another  time,  introduced  the  sub- 
ject of  Jewish  calamities,  and  of  his  own  judgment  coming ; 
but,  at  first,  gave  only  such  an  amount  of  information  as  an- 
swered the  purpose  of  awakening  an  interest,  and  preparing 
the  way  for  complete  and  final  instruction. 

11.  And  it  is,  as  the  record  itself  shows,  a  matter  of  fact, 
that  they  did  not,  from  that  first  discourse,  understand  either 
the  precise  nature,  or  the  relative  order,  or  the  time,  of  the 
great  events  under  our  present  notice.     Hence  the  meaning  of 
their  inquiries  on  the  subject,  at  a  time  subsequent  to  the 
first  discourse ;  and  hence,  also,  the  propriety  of  delivering 
the  lengthy  and  particularizing  discourse  which  is  the  subject 
of  this  Treatise. 

Now,  to  make  the  relative  order  of  the  last  and  finished 
discourse  subject  to  the  order  of  the  sketch  of  the  first  dis- 
course, is  to  act  without  sufficient  reason.  But  this  we  do,  if 
we  permit  the  order  of  the  introductory  discourse  to  overrule 
the  order  of  the  final  one. 

We  need  not  be  trammeled,  then,  in  our  exposition  of  the 
xxiv.  of  Matthew,  by  any  discrepancy  of  parallelism  in  the  xvii. 
of  Luke. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  45 

12.  It  may  be  observed,  still  further,  that  there  are  other 
transpositions  in  the  relative  order  of  the  two  discourses.  For 
example,  the  allusion  to  the  carcass  and  eagles.  Take  anoth- 
er instance  in  the  three  sketches  of  the  same  discourse  :  the 
10th  verse  in  Mark's  account  must  be  put  between  the  13th 
and  14th  verses,  in  order  to  harmonize  with  the  record  of 
Matthew.  And  the  9th  verse  in  Matthew  has  to  be  divided, 
and  a  part  transferred  to  another  place  in  the  relative  order, 
that  it  may  be  harmonized  with  the  two  records  of  Mark  and 
Luke.  Transpositions  in  the  relative  order  of  sentences,  then, 
are  not  unusual.  So  that,  in  maintaining  the  present  position, 
there  is  not  an  effort  to  prove  a  new  and  unheard-of  thing. 
The  labor  is  simply  to  show  an  additional  instance  of  what  is 
admitted  to  have  more  than  once  occurred  in  the  same  gen- 
eral connection  ;  and  to  settle  the  matter  of  precedency  be- 
tween an  unfinished  and  a  finished  lesson  of  instruction,  as  to 
which  of  the  two  should  be  used  to  amend  the  other. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Principal  subject — THE  INTERROGATIONS. 

State  of  the  case  —  How  Christ  began  his  discourse — How  many  things  were 
comprised  in  the  Questions  proposed — What  is  indicated  by  the  different 
forms  in  which  the  Questions  are  recorded — Impressions  of  the  Disciples  — 
Why  three  events  are  blended  in  their  Inquiries  —  How  their  impressions 
originated — What  probably  occasioned  the  Difference  in  the  Records  — 
Importance  of  considering  this  —  Cause  of  Indefiniteness  of  many  Exposi- 
tions—  The  true  method  of  Reasoning  —  Illustrations. 

1.  SOME  importance  should  undoubtedly  be  attached  to  the 
interrogations  which  our  Lord  had  in  view  when  he  delivered 
the  discourse  under  review.  The  previous  unfinished,  and — 
in  this  sense — imperfect,  instructions  relative  to  the  destiny 
of  the  Jews,  and  of  the  world,  had  resulted  as  was  foreseen, 
and  perhaps  intended ;  or,  at  least,  wisely  permitted.  The 


4:6  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION, 

great  subjects  on  which  the  Lord  intended  to  speak  more  par- 
ticularly, at  a  more  appropriate  time,  had,  it  appears,  already 
been  matters  of  thought,  and,  probably,  of  conversation, 
among  the  disciples.  They  were  ready  now  to  press  their 
inquiries,  that  they  might  the  more  clearly  understand  the 
matters  on  which  they  had  thought,  but  which  still  seemed 
obscure  and  confused.  Of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  of 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  end  of  the  world,  they 
had  already  heard  something  ;  but  in  respect  to  the  precise 
nature,  and  relative  order  of  some  of  the  events,  they  were 
yet  in  the  dark. 

2.  The  appropriate  time  had  now  come  for  Christ  to  give 
the  complete  lesson,  which  from  the  first  he  undoubtedly 
intended  to  teach.     As  they  called  his  attention  to  the  huge 
stones  in  the  wall,  and  the  magnificent  appearance  of  the 
temple,  he  opened  his  wonderful  prophetic  discourse  by  the 
solemn  declaration,  that  the  time  would  come  when  there 
should  not  remain  there  one  stone  upon  another.     This  appears 
to  have  been  the  substance  of  all  that  was  said  in  respect  to 
the  matter,  until  they  arrived  at  the  summit  of  mount  Olivet, 
and  Christ  had  taken  his  seat  over  against  the  temple,  where 
the  whole  city  was  distinctly  exposed  to  his  view. 

3.  Then  Peter,  James,  John,  and  Andrew  came  to  him 
privately,  and  desired  him  to  inform  them  when  the  things 
which  he  had  predicted  should  take  place.     Here  we  should 
remember  that  we  have  no  proof  whatever,  that  anything 
had  been  said,  at  that  time,  about  his  coming,  or  of  the  end 
of  the  world.     Yet  the  evidence  is  clear,  that  their  inquiries 
had  respect  to  three  very  different  events  :     "  Tell  us  when 
shall  these  things  be?"    That  is,  undoubtedly,  the  things 
relating  to  the  destruction  of  the  temple.     "And  what  shall 
be  the  sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world  \ " 
These  are  the  questions,  as  recorded  by  Matthew.     The  other 
two  evangelists  do  not  retain  the  triple  form  of  the  question, 
but  appear  to  have  recorded  it  as  if  all  the  events  would 
transpire  at  the  same  time.     "  Tell  us  when  shall  these  things 
be  ?    and  what  shall  be  the  sign  when  all  these  things  shall  be 
fulfilled."    There  is  here  an  appearance,  which  may  be 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  47 

regarded  as  an  evidence,  that  the  three  events  were  supposed 
by  the  disciples  to  belong  to  the  same  period,  and  that  the 
signs  of  one  would  also  be  the  signs  of  the  others.  It  is  cer- 
tain, however,  that  the  questions  were  propounded  in  the 
three-fold  manner,  and  referring  respectively  to  the  three 
great  events.  To  suppose  otherwise,  would  be  an  impeach- 
ment of  Matthew's  testimony,  charging  upon  him  the  fact  of 
reporting,  as  said,  something  that  was  not  said.  This  is  a  very 
different  thing  from  simply  omitting  something,  in  order  that 
another  might  strengthen  the  first  record  by  confirmatory 
additions. 

4:.  And  it  is  possible,  indeed,  probable,  that  all  the  disciples 
were  impressed,  that  the  ruin  of  the  temple,  and  the  second 
coming  would  be  at  the  end  of  the  world.  And  although 
Matthew  has  preserved  the  triplicate  form  of  the  interrogato- 
ries, it  is  no  evidence  that  he  supposed  the  three  events  would 
be  widely  separated.  From  the  fact,  that  the  whole  subject 
was  evidently  suggested,  at  this  time,  by  the  observations 
about  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  and  from  the  evident 
mingling  of  the  three  great  events  in  their  inquiries,  it  is 
probably  safe  to  conclude,  that  the  disciples  were  impressed 
that  the  three  great  events  would  transpire  in  connection,  or 
at  periods  not  remote  from  each  other.  Whether  the  disciples 
had  any  definite  conviction  in  relation  to  the  length  of  time 
which  should  elapse  previous  to  the  ruin  of  the  temple,  and 
the  other  supposed  synchronous  events,  is  not  certain.  But 
there  are  reasons  for  concluding  that  they  supposed  all  would 
transpire  during  the  lifetime  of  some  who  were  then  living. 
The  different  subjects  had  been  blended  in  their  inquiries  and 
meditations,  and,  in  some  way,  the  whole  matter  seemed  to 
them  connected  with  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Now,  it  is  certain  that  Christ  represented  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  as  being  "  at  hand,"  as  coming  "  nigh"  unto  them,  as 
"  within,"  (or,  more  properly,  among,)  them,  and  as  having 
indeed  "  come"  unto  them,  just  as  certainly  as  that  he  cast 
out  devils  by  the  finger  of  God.  He  had  also  informed  them, 
tthat  as  they  fled  from  city  to  city  from  their  persecutors,  they 


4:8  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

should  "  not  have  gone  over  the  cities  of  Israel  until  the  Son 
of  man  be  come."  If  any  doubt  remained  in  their  minds,  in 
relation  to  the  nearness  of  this  great  event,  it  was  probably 
removed  by  that  very  distinct  affirmation  of  Christ,  that  there 
were  some  then  standing  with  him  which  should  not  die,  until 
they  had  seen  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom. 

5.  This  passage  is  so  remarkable,  and  probably  had  so 
much  influence  in  forming  the  impression  that  all  these  great 
events  were  near ;  —  and  it  being  still  a  great  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  a  clear  understanding  of  the  general  subject; — it 
will  be  expedient  to .  bring  it  distinctly  before  the  mind,  in 
order  that  we  may  perceive  the  effect  it  most  probably  had 
upon  the  disciples,  who  were  from  other  sources  also  impressed 
that  the  end  of  all  things  was  near.     "We  will,  after  the  plan 
of  the  Harmony,  take  the  record  of  Matthew,  and  add  what 
was  supplied  by  the  other  evangelists,  that  all  that  is  upon 
record  may  be  presented  at  once  to  the  mind.    The  places 
referred  to  are  Matt.  xvi.  27,  28,  Mark  viii.  38,  and  ix.  1,  Luke 
ix.  26,  27.     [ "  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  be  asharr^ed  of  me, 
and  of  my  words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation  ; 
of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  le  ashamed,  when  he  cometh 
\in  his  own  glory,']  (and)  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  the 
holy  angels.']    For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father,  with  his  angels  ;  and  then  shall  he  reward  every 
man  according  to  his  works.     Verily  I  say  unto  you,  There 
le  some  [of  them  that  stand  here~]  which  shall  not  taste  of 
death,  till  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom. 
[Till  they  have  seen  the  kingdom  of  God  come  with  power,'] 
[Till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God."~] 

6.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  it  is  not  intended,  just  now, 
to  explain  this  passage,  and  the  others  just  referred  to  ;  but 
simply  to  show  what  had  been  the  subjects  of  thought  and 
meditation  among  the  disciples,  and  with  what  impressions 
they  probably  approached  the  Saviour,  at  the  time  they  pro- 
posed the  questions  which   are   now  under  consideration 
After  such  observations  from  Christ,  and  after  the  conversa 
tions  and  reflections  natural  to  inquisitive  minds,  how  natural, 
when  one  of  the  supposed  synchronous  events  was  named,  to 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  49 

inquire,  "Tell  us,  when  shall  these  things  be  ?  and  what  shall 
be  the  sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world  ? " 

It  must  be  evicfent,  considering  the  circumstances  of  the 
case,  that  although  three  very  different  events  were  contem- 
plated in  the  inquiries,  yet  these  events  were  considered  as 
being  likely  to  transpire  at,  or  about  the  same  time.  And 
this  conclusion  appears  to  be  still  more  probable,  when  it  is 
considered,  that  aluough  the  inquiries  did  actually  have 
respect  to  three  din"  rent  events,  and  by  one  of  the  historians 
they  were  so  recorded ;  yet  the  other  historians,  designedly 
recording  the  inquiries  in  the  spirit  in  which  they  were  made, 
and  having  more  particular  reference  to  the  impression  on 
the  minds  of  the  disciples,  which  prompted  them  to  make  the 
inquiries  in  that  form  ;  —  we  say  —  this  remarkable  circum- 
stance must  make  it  appear  evident  that  the  disciples  were 
impressed  that  all  would  transpire  at  about  the  same  time. 

7.  And  here  we  have  another  of  those  beautiful  instances 
in  which  one  part  of  the  Scripture,  without  any  apparent 
design,  elucidates  and  sustains  the  other.     By  this  two-fold 
method  of  preserving  these  important  questions,  we  have  not 
only  the  precise  form  in  which  they  were  propounded,  but 
the  understanding  and  spirit  by  which  they  were  suggested. 
We  have  not  only  the  formal  interrogatories  to  which  Christ 
gave  his  attention,  but  the  understanding  and  impression  of 
the  inquirers,  which  he  undertook  to  correct,  or  to  confirm. 
To  these  unexpected,  and,  to  the  careful  reader,  constantly 
occuring    coincidences,   the    pious    mind   delights   to   turn. 
They  are  the  "  things  new,"  and  yet  old,  which  Inspiration 
has  hidden  away  down  in  the  depths  of  divine  wisdom,  like 
pearls  in  deep  waters,  that  the  inquiring  mind  may  be  both 
excited  and  rewarded  in  its  deep  searchings  after  hidden  wis- 
dom.    They  not  only  prove  that  the  Scriptures  were  designed 
to  be  studied,  but  that  they  will  endure  study,  and  strengthen 
the  belief  that  begins  its  examination  with  the  things  upon 
the  surface. 

8.  Can  any  one  fail  to  perceive  the  importance  of  having 
distinctly  in  view   this   two-fold  method  of  preserving  the 
inquiries  under  notice  ?     Without  a  proper  consideration  of 

4 


50  HARMONY  AST)  EXPO8XTIOIL 

this,  can  we  distinctly  show  to  what,  and  for  what,  our  Sa- 
viour spoke,  at  the  time  we  are  now  considering  ?  Has  there 
not  been  too  much  haste  in  approaching  this  tremendous 
subject?  Has  there  not  been  too  much  leaping  at  conclu- 
sions, as  the  expression  is  ?  Has  there  not  been  an  evident 
overlooking,  or  lightly  considering,  the  circumstances  which 
prompted  the  inquiries  to  which  the  Saviour  replied  ?  And 
has  there  not  been,  of  consequence,  a  proportional  indejmite- 
ness  in  showing  what  object  Christ  had  in  view  in  giving  this 
important  discourse  ?  And  may  not  this  account  for  the  un- 
deniable confusion  and  uncertainty  which,  to  an  unpleasant 
degree,  characterize  the  many  expositions  of  this  portion  of 
the  divine  oracles? 

9.  So  far  as  common  philosophy  is  concerned,  we  live  in 
the  Baconian  age  :  we  reason  by  induction.  We  first  inquire, 
What  are  the  facts  ?  And  by  this  we  mean,  aU  the  facts 
accessible' all  that  bear  upon  the  case,  however  remotely.  He 
who,  by  any  means,  adds  a  new  fact  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
day,  is  regarded  as  having  conferred  a  favor  upon  the  race. 
And  this  is  especially  true  in  all  these  important  studies  which 
affect  human  destiny,  and  are  still  somewhat  obscured,  and 
apparently  conflicting.  In  erecting  our  theories  upon  ascer- 
tained facts,  —  which  is  the  true  method  of  reasoning,  —  we 
are  thankful  for  what  may  seem  at  first  to  be  little  facts ;  facts 
overlooked  by  the  ordinary  explorer.  We  sometimes  find 
that  one  of  these  little  truths — to  use  such  a  word  —  is  in 
fact  a  great  truth ;  a  truth  that  gives  an  entirely  different 
aspect  to  important  matters.  It  was,  to  the  common  thinker, 
an  apparently  trifling  matter  that  the  electric  fluid  was  once 
drawn  from  the  clouds  by  a  kite  string ;  but  it  has  changed 
the  destiny  of  the  world.  So,  in  the  philosophy  of  theology, 
no  ascertainable  fact  should  be  either  overlooked,  or  treated 
as  if  it  were  of  little  or  no  importance.  And  this  must  be 
especially  essential  in  those  momentous  biblical  subjects 
which  have  undeniably  perplexed  so  many  of  our  divines. 
Is  it  not  palpable  that  they  have  too  frequently  reasoned  from 
hypothesis,  instead  of  facts?  And  is  it  not  true  that  the 
inductive  method  of  reasoning  has  hardly  yet  found  its  way 


HABMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  51 

to  conspicuousness  in  our  biblical  expositions  ?  And  is  it  not 
particularly  true  in  the  multitudinous,  antagonistical,  and 
unsatisfactory  methods  of  expounding  the  portion  of  Scrip- 
ture which  is  now  under  notice  ?  In  what  treatise  shall  we 
find  even  the  principal,  and  easily  ascertained  facts,  that  have 
a  bearing  upon  this  subject?  Instead  of  inferring  facts  from 
theories,  let  us  reverse  the  order,  and  derive  theories  from  facts. 

10.  These  extended  remarks  cannot  be  deemed  out  of  place 
by  that  class  of  minds  to  which  these  pages  are  addressed. 
Ihat  kind  of  intellectuality  is  not  in  haste  to  plunge  into  the 
obscure  depths  of  uncertainty.  It  pauses  to  examine  every 
step  of  logical  progress  ;  and  would  rather  go  two  steps  back- 
ward, to  be  doubly  sure,  than  one  forward,  but  half  assured 
of  its  certainty.  That  kind  of  mentality  likes  to  linger  in 
the  examination  of  foundation  and  explanatory  truths,  and 
gather  within  its  eager  grasp  all  the  leading  lines  of  certainty 
and  probability  that  seem  to  converge  to  the  distant,  unseen 
point,  toward  which  the  ruling  desire  is  perpetually  tending. 
A  little  delay  at  the  outset,  to  see  what  materials  for  further 
research  we  have  gathered,  and  to  take  our  bearings  for 
another  advance,  is  not  deemed  to  be  time  thrown  away  ;  but 
regarded,  rather,  as  a  new  observation  of  the  stars,  that  guide 
us,  and  a  re-examination  of  the  calculations  that  assure  us, 
that  we  may  proceed  the  more  pleasantly,  and  the  more  safely. 

We  have  ventured  too  long  upon  these  voyages  of  discovery 
without  a  chart  to  guide  us.  Or,  if  we  have  charts  innumera- 
ble, they  were  at  first  so  imperfectly  constructed,  and  have 
been  since  so  carelessly  copied,  that  he  who  ventures  to  guide 
his  explorations  according  to  their  indefinite  and  self-contra- 
dictory outlines,  will  be  likely  to  veer  away  into  the  regions 
of  doubt  and  darkness,  or  to  dash  headlong  upon  the  reefs  of 
skepticism  and  infidelity. 

If,  in  our  progress,  we  find  ourselves  at  a  point  beyond 
which  we  have  no  further  light  or  pilotage,  we  shall  cast  our 
anchor  and  wait  for  day.  Or,  if  we  must  proceed,  we  will 
feel  our  way  along  as  carefully  as  possible,  constantly  sound- 
ing, as  we  advance,  and  leave  our  discoveries  as  a  chart  for 
the  benefit  of  subsequent  adventurers. 


52  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER   IY. 

Principal  subject — CONSIDERATIONS  PRELIMINARY  TO  THE  EX- 
POSITION. 

When  the  Apostles  were  fully  Inspired  —  Previous  liability  to  mistakes  — 
Examples  —  Principal  Design  of  Christ's  final  Discourses  — •  A  principal  Er- 
ror of  the  Disciples  —  Jewish  understanding  of  the  Prophecies — Examples — 
Facts  to  be  considered  —  Leading  Themes  of  the  first  Gospel  Preachers  — 
The  Kingdom  —  The  Judgment  —  The  End  of  the  world  —  Impression  of 
the  two  sons  of  Zebedee  —  When  Messiah's  Kingdom  was  expected — Origin 
of  that  Expectation  —  Christ's  Object  in  giving  his  prophetic  Discourse  — 
State  of  the  case  summarily  exhibited— Why  the  Errors  of  the  Disciples 
were  not  corrected  before  —  Divine  method  of  Instruction. 

1.  IT  is  of  great  importance  to  recollect  that  the  apostles 
were  not  fully  inspired  at  the  time  when  the  Lord  delivered 
his  prophetic  discourse.  Their  plenary  inspiration  appears  to 
have  been  deferred  until  the  great  spiritual  baptism  at  Pen- 
tecost, after  the  Lord's  ascension.  Until  then,  they  seem  to 
have  been  liable  to  mistake,  like  other  men ;  and  were  not 
judged  to  be  fully  qualified  to  assume  the  responsibility  of 
governing  and  teaching  the  church.  It  was  not  without  a 
reason  that  the  Lord  directed  them  to  tarry  at  Jerusalem  un- 
til they  were  endowed  with  power  from  on  high.  There  were 
some  things  which  they  desired  to  know,  but  were  not  empow- 
ered to  know,  until  that  plenary  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Our  Lord  was  fully  employed  in  unfolding  to  them  the  mys- 
tery of  divine  things,  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it.  During 
his  continuance  with  them,  after  his  resurrection,  he  continued 
to  discourse  with  them  of  things  pertaining  to  his  kingdom. 
But  even  at  the  end  of  that  forty  days'  especial  instruction, 
they  had  not  learned  at  what  time  the  kingdom  should  be  re- 
Btored  again  to  Israel.  Of  the  fact  that  it  would  be  restored, 
they  seem  to  have  been  duly  informed ;  but  of  the  "  times  or 
seasons  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power,"  they 
were  yet  without  knowledge.  Acts  i.  6,  7. 


HAKMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  53 

2.  It  will  not  be  hazardous,  then,  to  suppose  that  the  apos- 
tles were  uninformed  witn  respect  to  some  things,  and  even 
mistaken  about  others,  at  the  time  they  came  to  Christ  with 
their  inquiries  respecting  the  signs  and  time  of  his  coming. 
The  days  of  their  pupilage  were  not  yet  accomplished.     They 
were  still  sitting  as  disciples  at  the  feet  of  their  divine  Mas- 
ter, learning  the  things  which  it  behooved  them  to  know,  as 
the  future  guides  and  governors  of  the  church.     And,  what 
was  just  as  necessary,  they  were  at  the  same  time  unlearning 
many  things  which  it  behooved  them  to  forget.     They  still 
had  their  mistaken  impressions  and  views,  even  with  respect  to 
some  matters  on  which  our  Lord  had  already  discoursed.     This 
may  seem  surprising  to  us,  but  it  is  undeniable.     The  coming 
of  Elijah  was  as  little  understood,  before  it  was  explained,  as 
the  coming  of  Christ  himself.      The  relation  of  infants  to  the 
heavenly  kingdom  was  so  little  comprehended,  that  the  disci- 
ples rebuked  those  who  brought  them  to  the  Saviour.     And 
they  were  still  so  mistaken  in  their  impresssions  of  the  nature 
of  Messiah's  kingdom,  as  to  dispute   about  who  should  be 
greatest.     They  did  not  yet  know  the  nature  and  necessity  of 
the  faith  that  was  instrumental  in  curing  the  demoniac.     Even 
Peter  himself,  one  of  the  chief  apostles,  was  yet  uninformed 
that  his  Master  must  die.     And,  after  all  that  he  had  said 
about  his  resurrection,  Christ's  appearing  to  them,  after  he  was 
risen,  was  a  matter  of  astonishment  and  terror.     In  fine,  the 
notions  of  the  disciples  were  erroneous  at  this  time,  respecting 
many  things  which  to  us  appear  almost  self-evident.     Even  af- 
ter Christ  had  discoursed  freely  on  various  topics  pertaining 
to  his  coming  and  kingdom,  there  was  much  that  they  could 
not  fully  comprehend. 

3.  It  is  not,  therefore,  assuming  anything  in  itself  improb- 
able, to  conclude,  that  the  disciples  may  have  misunderstood 
the  Lord's  previous  observations  on  the  subjects  about  which 
they  now  inquired.     And,  after  a  little,  it  will  perhaps  be  suf- 
ficiently evident  to  the  reader  that  they  must  have  misunder- 
stood him  in  some  things ;  and  that  a  principal  design  of 
Christ's  final  discourse  was,  to  complete  his  lessons  of  instruc- 
tion, so  far  as  the  disciples  had  failed  fully  to  apprehend  his 


54  HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION. 

meaning ;  thus  communicating  truth  as  they  were  able  to  re- 
ceive it ;  and  to  correct  such  erroneous  views  as  they  might  still 
entertain.  We  have  seen  how  this  was  done  in  some  things. 
But  our  principal  object  now  is,  to  show  how  it  was  done  in  the 
matter  of  which  we  are  treating. 

4.  The  principal  error  under  which  they  seem  to  have  been 
laboring,  was,  in  relation  to  the  nature  of  Messiah's  kingdom. 
Their  Jewish  conceptions  and  prejudices  still  remained,  and 
evidently  modified  all  their  views  of  the  work  of  Christ,  and 
of  his  prophetic  discourses.    They  still  "  trusted"  it  should  be 
he  "  that  should  redeem  Israel."     And  it  must  not  be  forgot- 
ten, that  the  redemption  for  which  they  looked  to  Christ,  was 
not  the  redemption  of  transgressors,  by  means  of  the  death  of 
the  Redeemer ;  but  the  literal,  political  redemption  of  Israel, 
as  a  people,  from  their  political  bondage.     The  Old  Testament 
Scriptures  are  filled  with  glorious  predictions  of  Messiah  and 
his  happy  reign  over  Israel.     And  these  prophetic  descrip- 
tions of  the  conquest  of  the  Gentiles,  and  of  the  elevation  and 
prosperity  of  the  seed  of  Jacob,  were  familiar  to  the  Jewish 
mind,  and  most  gratifying  to  the  Jewish  heart.     This  famil- 
iarity, and  this  gratification,  with  the  prophetic  delineations 
of  Messiah  and  his  kingdom,  understood  as  they  were  'by  the 
Jews,  must  be  considered  as  the  key  to  all  their  otherwise  in- 
explicable conduct,  in  their  treatment  of  Messiah. 

5.  Their  prayers,  praises,  hopes  and  enjoyments,  all  had  in- 
timate association  with  their  understanding  of  the  Messianic 
prophecies.     When  Gabriel  appeared  unto  Mary,  to  announce 
to  her  the  great  favor  she  had  found  with  God,  he,  at  the  very 
first,  appealed  to  her  Jewish  heart :     "  Behold,  thou  shalt  con- 
ceive and  bring  forth  a  son,  and  shalt  call  his  name  JESUS. 
He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  the  Highest. 
And  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the  throne  of  Ms  fath- 
er David.    And  he  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever" 
When  Mary  was  led  to  magnify  the  Lord,  in  view  of  herself 
being  the  mother  of  Christ,  she  felt  and  spoke  as  a  Jew: 
"  He  has  holpen  his  servant  Israel,  in  remembrance  of  his 
mercy ;  as  he  spake  to  our  fathers,  to  Abraham,  and  to  his 

y  forever."    We  perceive  the  same  thing  in  the  exultation 


HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION.  55 

and  prophecy  of  Zacharias,  the  father  of  John  the  Baptist,  in 
view  of  his  being  the  harbinger  to  go  before  the  face  of  the 
Lord.  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  •  for  he  hath  vis- 
ited and  redeemed  his  people  ;  and  hath  raised  up  a  horn  of 
salvation  for  us,  in  the  house  of  David  /  as  he  spake  by  the 
mouth  of  his  holy  prophets,  which  have  been  since  the  world 
began ;  that  we  should  be  sewed  from  our  enemies,  and  from 
the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us  :  to  perform  the  mercy  promised 
to  our  fathers,  and  to  remember  his  holy  covenant :  the  oath 
which  he  sware  to  our  father  Abraham,  that  he  would  grant 
unto  us,  that  we,  bemg  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our  ene- 
mies, might  serve  him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness before  him,  all  the  days  of  our  life."  This  was  the  nature 
of  the  redemption,  and  this  the  kind  of  kingdom,  which  the 
Jews  expected  to  receive  by  the  Messiah. 

6.  The  song  of  the  angels  was  of  the  same  character,  and 
could  not  fail  to  deepen  the  impression  in  their  mind.  "  Un- 
to you  is  bom  this  day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which 
is  Christ  the  Lord,"  The  terms  Saviour,  Christ,  and  Lord, 
had  a  significancy  with  Jewish  minds  probably  much  more 
definite  and  literal  than  they  have  with  us.  It  is  probable 
that  the  venerable  Simeon,  as  he  held  the  infant  Jesus  in  his 
arms,  had  also  the  literal  conception  which  was  so  character- 
istic of  that  people.  It  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  that  he  should  not  see  death,  before  he  had  seen  the 
Lord's  Christ  As  the  aged  saint  took  the  infant  Redeemer 
in  his  arms,  he  blessed  God,  and  said,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou 
thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word ;  for  mine 
eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation,  which  thou  hast  prepared  before 
the  face  of  all  people ;  a  light  to  lighten  the  gentiles,  and  tJie 
glory  of  thy  people  Israel"  Ajad  as  the  venerable  prophetess 
Anna  came  into  the  temple  at  that  instant,  she  likewise  "  gave 
thanks  unto  the  Lord,  and  spake  of  him  to  all  them  that  looked 
for  redemption  m  Jerusalem" 

1.  When  the  magi  came  from  the  east  to  Jerusalem,  in 
search  of  the  newly  born  Saviour,  their  inquiry  was,  "  Where 
is  he  that  is  'born  KING  OP  THE  JEWS,  for  we  have  seen  his  star 
in  the  east,  and  are  come  to  worship  him."  It  is  not  wonder- 


56  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

ful  that  when  "  Herod  the  king  had  heard  these  things  he  was 
troubled,  and  all  Jerusalem  with  him."  He  was  afraid  of  los- 
ing his  throne  :  and  all  Jerusalem  was  in  commotion  with  the 

o  ' 

expectation  of  the  result  of  rival  kings.  "  And  when  he  had 
gathered  all  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  of  the  people  togeth- 
er, he  demanded  of  them  where  Christ  should  be  born.  And 
they  said  unto  him,  In  Bethlehem  of  Judea  :  for  thus  it  is 
written  by  the  prophet :  And  thou,  Bethlehem,  in  the  land 
of  Judah,  art  not  least  among  the  princes  of  Judah  ;  for  out 
of  thee  shall  come  a  Governor,  that  shall  rule  MY  PEOPLE  IS- 
RAEL." It  is  not  surprising,  then,  when  we  consider  the  com- 
mon impression  of  the  Jews,  that  Herod  should  seek  the  young 
child  to  destroy  him ;  for  the  redemption  and  rule  that  were 
expected  of  Christ,  would  have  unthroned  the  tyrant,  and 
driven  from  the  land  his  Roman  supporters.  But  to  the  peo- 
ple generally  it  would  have  been  deliverance  from  a  yoke  of 
iron.  Therefore  they  greatly  rejoiced. 

.  8.  These  Israelitish  views  of  temporal  dominion  manifested 
themselves  in  a  variety  of  ways  through  the  whole  period  of 
the  Saviour's  life.  Friends  and  enemies  alike  exhibited  the 
general  conviction.  Ambition  sought  to  secure  the  right  and 
left  hand  honors  of  his  throne.  Bewildered  Admiration  un- 
dertook by  force  to  make  him  a  king,  whether  he  would  or 
not,  when  he  manifested  his  divine  power.  Enmity,  with  fo- 
rensic skill,  framed  his  accusation  of  treason,  in  disappoint- 
ment of  the  common  anticipations  relative  to  his  kingly  char- 
acter. His  death  sentence,  and  his  published  accusation  on 
the  cross,  were  but  so  many  proofs  of  the  common  disappoint- 
ment. Pious  grief  wept  over  the  sepulchre,  murmuring 
through  the  falling  tears,  "  We  trusted  it  had  been  he  who 
should  have  redeemed  Israel."  The  very  last  inquiry  made 
by  the  disciples,  before  the  risen  Saviour  ascended,  showed 
that  even  then  they  had  not  entirely  lost  the  influence  of 
natural  and  deep-founded  convictions.  "  Lord,  wilt  thou  at 
this  time  restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?"  They  needed, 
besides  the  Saviour's  personal  instructions,  the  promised  illu- 
mination of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

9.   Now,  these  are  the  facts  that  must  be  considered,  in  or 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  57 

der  to  make  appropriate  inductions,  and  establish  a  theory  of 
exposition  that  shall  be  worthy  of  our  confidence.  But  these 
are  not  the  only  facts  :  there  yet  remain  others,  which,  if  pos- 
sible, are  still  more  important.  Christ  himself  was  accustomed 
to  speak  of  his  kingdom  in  a  way  which  certainly  appears  to 
have  been  calculated  to  deepen  the  common  impression,  and 
rendered  it  the  more  necessary,  at  the  appropriate  time,  to 
explain  himself  more  fully,  and  do  what  could  appropriately 
be  done  to  give  the  disciples  a  true  exposition  of  his  doctrine. 
10.  When  the  harbinger  of  Christ  lifted  up  his  voice  to  the 
myriads  who  attended  his  ministry,  his  first  proclamation  was, 
" Repent  ye,  for  the,  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand"  And 
of  Christ  himself  it  is  written,  "  From  that  time  Jesus  began 
to  preach,  and  to  say,  Repent ;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
at  hand."  So,  when  Christ  sent  forth  his  apostles  to  preacfi, 
he  gave  them  their  instruction  in  these  words  :  "  And  as  ye 
go,  preach,  saying,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand." 
Now,  it  would  be  very  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  John, 
and  Christ,  and  the  apostles  merely  "begem  their  ministry  by 
making  this  proclamation  ;  and  that  they  did  not  continue  to 
teach  the  same  thing.  The  only  rational  conclusion  is,  that 
this  proclamation  formed  the  principal  theme  of  their  minis- 
try ;  and  that  they  begun,  and  continued,  with  the  same  lead- 
ing subject.  Consistently  with  this  view,  we  find  that  the 
occasional  records  of  the  subject  matter  of  that  beginning  of 
gospel  preaching,  had  intimate  relation  to  this  leading  theme. 
Of  Christ  we  read,  "And  Jesus  went  about  all  Galilee, 
teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and  preaching  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom"  At  another  time  we  read,  "And  Jesus  went 
about  all  the  cities  and  villages,  teaching  in  their  synagogues, 
and  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom"  The  very  frequent 
reference  to  the  kingdom,  under  its  various  distinguishing 
dtles,  shows  that  it  was  a  common,  if  not  the  principal  theme 
of  public  discourse,  and  private  conversation.  The  mention 
of  the  kingdom,  in  connection  with  the  case  of  John  the 
Baptist;  with  the  case  of  those  who  rejected  the  first  apos- 
tolic message,  and  in  connection  with  very  many  of  our  Sa- 
viour's parables;  —  these,  and  other  instances  that  might  be 


58  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

named,  show  the  frequency  and  familiarity  of  treating  the 
great  leading  theme  of  the  new  dispensation. 

11.  Connected  with  this  theme  was  another,  which  appears 
to  have  been  almost  as  prominent  in  our  Saviour's  public  and 
private  teaching ;  this  was  the  Judgment,  when  appropriate 
rewards  and  punishments  should  be  administered  to  all  clas- 
ses of  people.     John  the  Baptist  dwelt  largely  on  the  Judg- 
ment, and  continually  warned  the   people.      And  how  fre- 
quently, and  how  terribly,  Christ  proclaimed  the  Judgment, 
it  is  not  necessary  particularly  to  specify.     The  disciples  be- 
came familiar  with  the  idea,  and  had  their  minds  frequently 
and  deeply  impressed  with  the  terrible  calamities  that  should 
befall  the  impenitent,  and  the  blessings  and  honors  reserved 
for  the  faithful.      The  cities  in  which  the  mighty  works  of 
Christ  had  been  wrought,  were  solemnly  admonished  that  in 
"the  day  of  judgment"  it  would  be  "more  tolerable  for 
Sodom  than  for  them."     "  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise  in 
judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it ;"    "  The 
queen  of  the  South  shall  rise  up  in  the  day  of  judgment  with 
this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it" — are  but  specimens 
of  the  warnings  which  Christ  gave  to  the  people  who  heard 
him. 

12.  The  disciples  were  taught  also  to  look  for  the  final  clo- 
sing up  of  these  retributions,  and  the  separation  of  the  differ- 
ent characters,  at  the  "  end  of  the  world ;"  or,  as  some  prefer 
to  render  it,  at  the  end  of  that  age  or  dispensation.     The  par- 
able of  the  Tares  may  be  selected  as  a  specimen  of  the  in- 
struction which  the  disciples  were  accustomed  to  receive. 
The  explanation  of  the  parable  was  thus  :     "  He  that  soweth 
the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  man.     The  field  is  the  world. 
The  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom;  but  the  tares 
are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one.     The  enemy  that  sowed 
them  is  the  devil.     The  harvest  is  the  end  of  the  world  ;  and 
the  reapers  are  the  angels.     As,  therefore,  the  tares  are  gath- 
ered, and  burned  in  the  fire ;  so  shall  it  ~be  in  the  end  of  this 
world.    The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they 
shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and 
them  which  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  furnace  of 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  59 

fire ;  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  Then 
shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  in  ike  kingdom  of  their  Fath- 
er" The  parable  of  the  Fishes  is  of  the  same  import.  And 
both  of  these,  and,  indeed,  most  of  the  other  parables,  are  in- 
troduced as  illustrations  of  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto,"  is  the 
usual  introduction, 

13,  There  was  also  another  view  of  the  general  subj  ect,  which 
must  have  left  a  deep  impression  upon  the  minds  of  the  dis- 
ciples.    When  our  .Saviour,  with  reference  to  the  rich,  young 
ruler,  observed,  "  That  a  rich  man  shall  hardly  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,"  Peter  desired  to  know  what  should  be 
given  unto  them  who  had  forsaken  all  to  follow  him.     "  And 
Jesus  said  unto  them,  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  which 
have  followed  me,  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of  man 
shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve 
thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."     After  hearing 
such  a  declaration  as  this,  it  is  easy  to  understand  what  was 
the  probable  impression  upon  the  mind   of  the   ambitious 
mother  of  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee.    These  two  relatives  of 
Christ,  James  and  John,  having,  perhaps,  some  little  more 
familiarity  with  their  Master  than  the  others,  and  hoping 
thereby  to  secure  the  highest  honors  of  that  kingdom  which 
was  so  generally  expected,  through  the  agency  of  their  moth- 
er, presented  their  request,  that  one  might  sit  on  the  right 
hand  and  the  other  on  the  left,  "  in  the  kingdom."     It  is  not 
difficult  to  perceive  what  kind  of  kingdom  even  these  leading 
apostles  were  still  anticipating.     In  the  language  of  another, 
"  They  were  still  looking  for  a  temporal  kingdom.     They  ex- 
pected that  he  would  reign  on  the  earth,  with  great  pomp  and 
glory.     They  expected  that  he  would  conquer  as  a  prince  and 
a  warrior.     The  disciples  here  had  no  reference  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  but  only  to  the  kingdom  which  they  supposed 
he  was  about  to  set  up  on  the  earth."     (JBarnes.) 

14.  And  there  is  still  another  consideration  of  importance, 
in  making  up  our  conclusion  with  respect  to  the  impressions 
of  the  disciples,  at  the  time  of  the  discourse  about  the  tem- 
ple.    It  is  so  probable  as  to  amount  almost  to  certainty,  that 


60  HAKMOHY   AND    EXPOSITION. 

they  were  expecting  the  fulfillment  of  all  these  things  during 
their  own  natural  life-time,  or,  at  longest,  within  a  few  years. 
They  did  not  forget  that  their  Master  had  said  to  them,  that, 
in  fleeing  from  place  to  place  before  their  persecutors,  "  Ye 
shall  not  have  gone  over  the  cities  of  Israel  till  the  Son  of 
man  be  come."  And  on  another  occasion,  when  speaking  of 
the  loss  or  salvation  of  the  soul,  the  Master  had  said,  "  For 
the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with 
his  angels ;  and  then  shall  he  reward  every  man  according  to 
his  work.  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  There  •  be  some  standing 
here,  which  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  Son  of 
man  coming  in  his  kingdom."  Mark  says,  "  Till  they  have 
seen  the -kingdom  of  God  come  with  power."  Luke  says, 
"Till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 

15.  Now,  all  these  things  are  to  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion, in  making  up  our  minds  concerning  the  views  entertained 
by  the  disciples,  at  the  time  of  propounding  their  questions 
respecting  the  times  and  the  signs  of  the  fulfillment.     Our 
Saviour  undoubtedly  had  some  definite  plan  to  guide  him,  and 
so.me  distinct  object  in  view,  when  he  uttered  his  celebrated 
discourse  about  the  seasons  and  the  signs.     He  desired  either 
to  confirm,  to  remove,  or  to  modify,  the  convictions  of  his 
disciples  respecting  these  things.     On  a  preceding  page  this 
matter  has  been  definitely  stated ;  and  it  now  remains  only 
to  gather  up  the  scattered  facts  that  we  have  discovered,  and 
present  them  in  order  before  the  mind,  that  we  may  ascertain, 
as  far  as  practicable,  with  what  convictions  the  disciples  ap- 
proached the  great  subject  under  discussion,  and  what  Christ 
had  before  him  to  prompt  and  guide  his  discourse. 

16.  Are  we  not  safe  in  concluding  that  the  impression  of 
the  disciples  was, 

(1.)  That  Christ  was  to  come  once  more, — not  as  he  had 
come,  in  shame  and  obscurity, — but  in  great  glory,  and  with 
the  holy  angels  ? 

(2.)  That  his  second  advent  would  be  a  coming  to  execute 
terrible  judgments  upon  the  wicked,  particularly  upon  the 
cities  that  would  not  receive  him  ?  And  that  this  judgment 
would  be  the  time  of  universal  separation  between  the  evil 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  61 

and  the  good,  (Matt,  xiii.)  that  the  one  might  be  punished, 
and  the  other  rewarded  ? 

(3.)  That  this  would  be  done  openly  and  generally,  when 
he  should  come  in  kingly  majesty  to  establish  his  kingdom 
as  a  temporal  prince  ? 

(4.)  That  all  this  should  take  place  while  some  of  them 
should  yefr  be  living  upon  the  earth  ?     (Mark  ix.  1.) 

(5.)  That  this  would  be,  in  some  senses,  the  end  of  the 
world  ?     (Matt,  xiii.) 

IT.  Knowing,  as  our  Saviour  did,  all  that  passed  in  the 
minds  of  men,  and  perceiving  distinctly  the  error  of  his  dis- 
ciples, we  cannot  err  in  supposing  that  he  designed  in  this 
discourse  to  correct  their  erroneous  impressions,  and,  as  far  as 
practicable,  establish  them  in  the  truth.  It  was  his  desire, 
undoubtedly,  to  do  this ;  and  we  conclude,  therefore,  that  he 
now  undertook  to  do  it.  To  suppose  otherwise,  would  be  sup- 
posing that  he  acted  without  such  motives  as  we  always  like 
to  ascribe  to  the  adorable  Saviour.  It  would  be  supposing 
that  he  misimproved  a  most  favorable,  and,  perhaps,  final 
opportunity  of  doing  so  important  a  work.  Sometimes  he  in- 
structed and  admonished  them  without  being  requested  to  do 
so.  Now,  in  addition  to  all  the  self-prompting  and  unchange- 
able desires  to  proclaim  the  truth,  he  was  under  the  influence 
of  a  request  from  his  beloved  apostles,  whom  he  had  chosen 
to  enlighten  the  world,  and  to  regulate  his  church.  Should 
he  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  their  earnest  request,  when,  upon  the 
very  face  of  it,  there  appeared  an  error  that  could  not  be 
cherished  without  injury?  He  had  himself — shall  we  not 
say?  —  designedly  suggested  the  subject,  by  his  astounding 
declaration  respecting  the  overthrow  of  the  temple.  Shall  he 
now  refuse  to  satisfy  the  very  inquiries  which  he  had  awa- 
kened, and  on  a  subject  which  he  had  purposely  introduced 
for  their  information  ?  No,  indeed  :  he  perceives  the  fatal 
mistakes  of  the  world's  appointed  instructors ;  and  he  now 
undertakes,  at  great  length,  and  with  unusual  pains,  to  show 
them  the  truth  as  it  appeared  to  his  own  omniscience. 

18.   But  here  we  may  be  met  by  what  with  some  will  be 
Bimple  inquiry,  and  what  with  others  will  be  caviling :     "Why 


62  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

did  not  the  unerring  wisdom  of  the  divine  Saviour  unfold, 
with  unmistakable  distinctness,  these  things  at  the  very  first  ? 
Why  suffer  mistakes  to  grow  out  of  his  own  words?  Or, 
originating  from  any  source,  why  suffer  a  mistake  to  remain 
in  the  minds  of  his  disciples  for  any  length  of  time  ?  Why 
not, — as  he  doubtless  had  the  power,  and  could  not  lack  for 
the  disposition  —  why  not  at  once — without  any  delay  —  tell 
them  so  they  must  understand,  and  thereby  qualify  them  to 
instruct  the  world  ?  Undoubtedly  this  would  have  been  sug- 
gested by  all  who  make  such  inquiries,  if  they  had  been  per- 
mitted to  advise  the  Son  of  God.  But  to  those  who  repose  in 
the  belief,  that  Infinite  Wisdom  always  does  what  is  best,  a 
sufficient  answer  will  be,  "  Even  so,  Father ;  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight."  Whether  we  can  understand  the  reason 
or  not,  still  it  is  undeniably  true,  that  Infinite  Wisdom  did 
not  see  proper  to  adopt  the  method  of  instruction  which 
these  inquiries  have  in  contemplation.  The  process  of  quali- 
fying the  apostles  for  their  destined  offices  in  the  church,  was 
a  lingering  process ;  nor  was  it  completed  until  they  were 
plenarily  inspired  by  the  baptism  at  Pentecost. 

19.  This  gradualism  in  the  method  of  instruction  was  not 
confined,  however,  to  the  particular  subjects  under  contem- 
plation.    It  appears  to  have  extended  to  all  subjects.     We 
meet  with  evidences  of  it  throughout  the  Saviour's  ministry. 
The  rule  by  which  he  was  guided  is  sufficiently  indicated  by 
that  beautiful  remark  of  his,  —  "I  have  yet  many  things  to 
say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now."     And  this  was 
nearly  at  the  close  of  his  instructions.     We  may,  or  we  may 
not,  understand  all  the  reasons  which  guided  unerring  Wis- 
dom in  this  matter ;  but  the  fact  in  question  is  too  plain  for 
contradiction.     And,  whether  we  comprehend  the  reasons  or 
uot,  we  will  submit  our  own  judgments  to  the  Wisdom  that 
cannot  err,  and  conclude  that  it  must  have  been  best. 

20.  But  we  now  approach  the  time  when  not  only  the  pow- 
er, but  the  disposition  to  instruct,  could  be  exercised  to  their 
full  extent  with  more  appropriateness,  perhaps,  than  at  any 
previous  period.     If  there  was  ever  a  time  when  it  was  proper 
for  Divine  Wisdom  to  display  itself,  by  fully  unfolding  to 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  63 

finite  minds  the  world-affecting  scenes  of  future  ages,  it  was 
the  time  when  the  world's  appointed  religious  teachers  came 
to  their  Master,  with  solemn  and  pointed  inquiries  about  the 
momentous  matters  which  it  behooved  them  to  understand ;  — - 
and  which  inquiries  of  themselves  afforded  proof,  not  only 
of  their  desire  to  be  taught,  but  of  their  need  of  teaching. 
May  we  not  conclude,  with  safety,  that  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances of  the  case  would  induce  the  Saviour  to  give  his  in- 
structions with  greater  fullness  and  precision  than  any  pre- 
vious period  had  rendered  expedient  ? 


CHAPTER  V. 

Principal  subject — THEORY  OF  EXPOSITION. 

Benefits  of  a  Theory  —  Illustrations  —  Great  names  —  Preparatory  advise- 
ments  —  Character  of  the  Theory  of  Exegesis  —  How  to  obtain  a  correct 
Theory  —  The  case  stated  —  What  the  Lord  had  in  view  —  Illustrative 
Parable  —  Radical  Mistake  —  How  occasioned — Principal  elements  of  the 
true  Theory — Difficulties  —  What  is  attempted  —  General  bearing  of  the 
Exposition  —  Origin  of  Universalism  —  Universalist  Exegesis  and  Ortho- 
dox compared  —  Test  of  Truth  and  Error. 

1.  To  accomplish  any  great,  and,  especially,  any  difficult 
enterprise,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  plan.  And  we  need  not 
linger  to  show  the  necessity  of  having  a  good  and  correct 
one :  it  is  nearly  self-evident.  An  erroneous  plan  or  theory 
ccmnot  guide  us  correctly ;  a  true  theory  ma/y  not ;  but  it  will 
be  much  more  likely  to  lead  us  to  ultimate  truth,  than  either 
no  theory,  or  an  incorrect  one.  We  must  have  our  plan, 
then ;  and  the  time  has  come  to  obtain  it.  Whence  shall  it 
be  derived?  From  previous  theories,  shattered  into  frag- 
ments, like  an  exploded  world,  and  rudely  conglomerated  into 
A  new  one?  Certainly  not:  let  it  be  original,  as  far  as  the 
nature  of  the  case  will  admit.  Let  us  take  warning  from  the 
theoretic  philosophy  of  ancient  ages,  and  be  satisfied  with  no 


64.  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

theory  that  is  not  directly  educed  from  as  many  facts  as  we 
are  permitted  to  examine.  The  usual  theories  of  interpreting 
the  Lord's  great  prophecy,  like  the  ancient  fanciful  theories 
of  the  universe,  are  cumbersome,  self-contradictory,  and  un- 
satisfactory. 

"  But  they  have  the  sanction  of  great  names"  This  is  indeed 
true,  and  a  source  of  deep  regret.  And  so  had  the  ancient 
theories  of  the  universe :  as  great  names  sustained  them  as 
can  be  found  on  the  historic  page.  Pythagoras,  and  Thales, 
and  Ptolemy  were  neither  idiots  nor  children;  they  were 
master  spirits  of  a  splendid  age.  But,  since  the  days  of  Co- 
pernicus and  Newton,  who  thinks  of  receiving  the  once 
orthodox  and  popular  theories  and  conclusions  of  former 
ages,  simply  because  they  had  the  sanction  of  great  names  ? 
"  Great  men  are  not  always  wise."  They  may  be  great  in 
some  things,  and  far  from  great  in  other  things.  Great  men 
are  at  variance  in  respect  to  a  thousand  things ;  and  by  the 
greatness  of  names  we  can  never  ascertain  a  doubtful  truth. 
Truth  is  greater  than  great  men ;  and  sometimes  God  reveals 
to  "babes"  what  he  hides  from  the  "wise  and  prudent." 
(Matt.  xi.  25.)  "  Let  God  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar." 
Before  these  pages  are  finished,  the  reader  will  frequently 
have  the  opportunity  of  seeing  not  only  some  of  the  reason- 
ings of  great  men,  but  also  some  of  their  assertions,  tested  by 
matters  of  fact.  These  preparatory  advisements  are  not 
without  their  use  even  now,  as  we  proceed  to  develop  our 
theory  of  exegesis.  It  will  be  independent,  and  in  some 
respects,  perhaps,  a  little  startling.  And  as  far  as  it  is  possi- 
ble for  any  one  who  has  been  almost  surfeited  with  reading 
on  a  particular  subject,  to  shake  off,  flee  from,  and  forget,  the 
most  he  has  read,  or  listened  to,  so  far  will  it  be  done  now  ; 
and,  so  far  as  it  is  practicable,  the  world  shall  have  an  original 
Exposition  of  the  Lord's  great  Prophecy.  If  what  herein 
appears  shall  happen  to  harmonize  with  what  others  have 
thought  or  said, — very  well, — it  will  be  a  matter  of  thank- 
fulness and  gratulation.  If  otherwise, — it  will  be  an  occa- 
sion of  regret ;  but  not,  for  that  reason,  a  sufficient  induce- 
ment to  withhold,  alter,  or  discard,  the  writer's  own  convictions. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  65 

He  claims,  within  the  limits  of  evangelical  orthodoxy,  to 
think  for  himself,  and  to  make  known,  in  a  suitable  manner, 
his  own  impressions  of  divine  truth. 

2.  "  How  can  we  reason,  but  from  what  we  know  ? "    What, 
then,  are  the  facts  to  be  considered  in  framing  our  theory  \ 
and  how  can  they  guide  us  to  the  ultimate  truth?     In  the 
previous  chapter,  section  16,  the  reader  will  find  a  summary 
of  the  principal  relevant  facts.     Let  them  be  well  considered, 
before  proceeding  further.     It  appears  that  the  apostles  came 
to  the  Lord  with  some  correct,  some  incorrect,  and  with  some 
confused  notions  relating  to  the  great  matters  pertaining  to 
Messiah  and  his  kingdom.     This  afforded  Christ  an  opportu- 
nity of  relieving  their  confusion,  correcting  their  mistakes, 
and  confirming  them  in  what  they  already  truthfully  under- 
stood.    The   only  thing  necessary  to   assume,  (if  it  be  an 
assumption,)  is,  that  our  Saviour,  in  his  reply  to  their  inqui- 
ries, did  really  undertake  to  make  them  understand  the  facts 
in  the  case.     Or,  in  other  words,  that  he  did  really  desire  and 
design  to  correct  their  erroneous  impressions,  and  establish 
them  in  the  truth.     But,  in  such  a  case,  it  would  be  necessary 
for  him  to  speak  with  more  or  less  reference  to  the  precise 
difficulties  which  embarrassed  their  minds.     And  these  em- 
barrassments related  not  only  to  the  nature  of  the  events,  but 
to  their  times,  and  successive  order.    This  should  now  be  a 
subject  of  consideration. 

3.  It  has  already  been  exhibited  that  the  disciples  were  erro- 
neously impressed  relatively  to  the  nature  and  establishment 
of  Messiah's  dominion.     Their   conceptions   and  prejudices 
were  still  decidedly  Jewish,  as  distinguished  from  the  evan- 
gelical.    To  them  it  appeared  likely  that  their  Master  would 
literally  and  visibly  raise  up  and  occupy  the  Israelitish  throne, 
and  reign  gloriously  over  the  nations.     The  general  current 
of  thought  is  indicated  by  one  of  our  Lord's  parables,  which 
he  introduced  in  this  manner :     "  And  as  they  heard  these 
things,  he  added  and  spake  a  parable,  because  he  was  nigh  to 
Jerusalem,  and  because  they  thought  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
should  immediately  appear.     He  said,  therefore,  A  certain 
nobleman  went  into  a  far  country,  to  receive  for  himself  a 


66  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

kingdom,  and  to  return.  And  he  called  his  ten  servants,  and 
delivered  unto  them  ten  pounds,  and  said  unto  them,  Occupy 
till  I  come.  But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  a  message 
after  him,  saying,  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over 
us."  Then  follows  the  other  details  of  the  parable,  closing  up 
with  the  destruction  of  his  enemies  that  would  not  submit  to 
his  dominion.  Now,  he  had  distinctly  declared  to  his  disci- 
ples, "  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  That  there  be  some  standing 
here,  which  shall  not  taste  death  till  they  have  seen  the  Son 
of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom." 

4:.  It  was  very  naturally  inferred  by  the  disciples,  that  this 
coming,  and  this  destruction  of  enemies,  and  this  setting  up 
of  the  anticipated  kingdom,  would  all  take  place  within  a 
few  years.  Hence,  when  the  terrible  calamities  which  Christ 
had  predicted,  should  fall  upon  the  Jews ;  when  the  temple 
and  city  should  be  overthrown ;  when  there  should  be  fearful 
sights  in  the  heavens,  and  general  commotion  on  earth,  they 
would  naturally  be  looking  for  the  second  coming  of  their 
Lord,  as  a  literal  and  visible  prince  and  delieverer,  at  that  very 
time.  But  in  this  they  would  be  mistaken.  Hence  the  pro- 
priety of  the  first  and  repeated  cautions  with  which  our 
Saviour  opened  and  continued  his  discourse.  The  disciples 
had  entirely  mistaken  the  nature  of  the  kingdom  ;  and  could 
not  conceive  how  it  could  be  established,  in  their  lifetime, 
without  all  these  visible  and  temporal  results.  And,  growing 
out  of  this  error  concerning  the  nature  of  the  kingdom,  they 
fell  into  another ;  they  confounded  together  two  very  differ- 
ent things ;  that  is,  they  did  not — and,  with  their  impressions, 
could  not — distinguish  between  that  spiritual  coming  at  Pen- 
tecost, to  establish  the  spiritual  kingdom,  and  that  literal, 
visible,  and  final  coming  to  judgment,  which  should  be  at  the 
end  of  the  world.  Hence — to  anticipate  the  exposition — 
the  propriety  of  Christ's  repeatedly  informing  them  that  "the 
end  is  not  yet ; "  and  more  than  once,  by  way  of  anticipa- 
tion, alluding  to  the  real  nature  of  his  final  judgment  coming 
at  the  end  of  the  world. 

5.  These  are  the  principal  elements  of  our  theory.  Who  shall 
say  that  it  is  not  warranted  by  all  the  facts  and  probabilities 


HABMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  67 

relating  to  the  case  ?  With  this  simple  plan  to  guide  us,  we 
can  lay  out  the  work  of  exposition,  without  any  great  per- 
plexity, and,  certainly,  without  any  insuperable  difficulties. 

We  see  what  was  necessary  to  be  done ;  and  we  -find  the  Sa- 
viour undertaking  to  do  it.  We  feel  safe  in  supposing  that 
he  did  it  in  the  most  appropriate  manner.  But  we  cannot 
deny,  after  all,  but  that  there  are  difficulties  which  do  not 
usually  embarrass  our  biblical  expositions.  There  are,  we 
must  candidly  admit,  difficulties  which  no  theory  can  fully 
and  perfectly  remove.  The  author  has  not  ventured  upon 
this  subject,  unapprised  of  the  difficulties  of  the  case;  nor 
without  a  studious  examination  of  the  various  labors  of  others. 
The  most  that  is  now  attempted  is  this : 

(1.)  To  give  an  exposition  which  shall  answer  the  purpose 
for  which  the  Lord's  discourse  was  originally  designed. 

(2.)  To  expound  the  whole  discourse,  so  that  one  part  of 
the  exposition  shall  not  be  in  conflict  with  any  other  part. 

(3.)  To  give  an  exposition  which  shall  not  violate  the  ordi- 
nary rules  for  the  use  of  language ;  but  shall  treat  prose  as 
prose,  poetry  as  poetry,  and  avoid  blending  the  literal  with 
the  figurative. 

(4.)  To  interpret  those  portions  which  relate  to  the  second 
advent  and  general  judgment,  so  as  to  be  in  harmony  with 
the  many  other  portions  in  the  Bible,  where  Jerusalem  and 
the  Jews  have  no  especial  concern. 

(5.)  To  show  the  reason  for  blending  the  two  leading  sub- 
jects in  the  discourse,  and,  at  the  same  time,  distinguish  and 
separate  one  portion  from  another. 

(6.)  To  show  the  relation  of  the  parables  which  are  con- 
nected with  the  discourse. 

(7.)  In  doing  this,  as  a  matter  of  course,  some  of  the  errors 
of  the  usual  interpretations  must  be  faithfully  exposed. 

6.  It  will  be  perceived,  at  once,  that  this  work  is  not  par- 
ticularly intended  to  bear  against  Universalism.  It  is  espe- 
cially designed  for  those  who  are  sentimentally  orthodox,  in 
relation  to  the  great  doctrines  of  the  Second  Advent,  and 
general  Judgment.  In  accomplishing  our  object,  however, 
we  do  hope  to  rescue  the  divine  oracles  from  those  orthodox 


68  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

perversions,  which  have  probably  done  more  to  originate  and 
perpetuate  that  fatal  system  of  error,  than  all  the  preaching 
and  writing  of  its  professed  advocates.  Universalism,  as  a 
system  of  theology,  was  brought  forth,  and  is  nourished,  by 
just  such  license  in  biblical  interpretation  as  has  been  taken 
by  most  of  our  orthodox  divines,  in  their  exposition  of  the 
xxiv.  chapter  of  Matthew.  The  principal  difference  between 
the  Universalist  and  the  Orthodox  writers  in  the  subject  now 
tinder  notice,  is  this :  the  orthodox  teacher  adopts  a  certain 
method  of  interpreting  a  difficult  passage,  and  limits  it  to  that 
particular  passage,  or  class  of  passages.  He  dares  not  pur- 
sue his  own  method  any  further.  He  shrinks  back  from  the 
legitimate  consequence  which  he  perceives  must  result,  if 
his  method  should  be  carried  throughout  the  Bible.  The 
Universalist,  on  the  other  hand,  starting  with  the  usual  princi- 
ples of  interpretation  of  the  portion  under  notice,  finds  that 
by  applying  them  to  other  portions  of  the  Bible,  he  can 
explain  away  what  appears  to  contradict  his  opinions,  and  so 
make  out  a  desired  theory,  notwithstanding  all  the  literal 
teachings  of  the  Scriptures  to  the  contrary.  The  Orthodox 
is  the  more  inconsistent,  and  the  Universalist  is  the  more 
reckless,  and  the  less  reliable. 

7.  After  all,  the  truth  or  error  in  the  usual  expositions, 
depends  very  much  upon  the  manner  of  interpreting  only  a 
few  of  the  passages  in  the  discourse.  The  verses  which  refer 
to  the  "end"  spoken  of,  to  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  as 
the  lightning  from  heaven,  to  the  darkening  of  the  heavenly 
luminaries,  to  the  gathering  of  the  elect  together,  and  to  the 
rewarding  and  punishing  of  the  different  characters, — the 
interpretation  of  these  must  be  decisive  of  all  the  rest.  And 
to  these  we  design  to  bestow  particular  attention.  It  will  ~b& 
desirable  to  keep  the  eye  upon  the  record  of  Matthew,  as  found 
in  the  Harmony,  with  the  supplementary  additions  from  the 
other  records.  The  reader  is  earnestly  requested  to  comply 
with  this  suggestion. 


f 

PART  SECOND. 

THE  EXPOSITION 


CHAPTER   I. 

Principal  subject — DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 

"Why  Christ's  attention  was  directed  to  the  Temple  —  General  form  and  extent 
of  the  Temple  —  "Why  Herod's  was  called  the  Second  Temple  —  Stones  in 
the  wall  —  Adornments  —  "Why  called  Gifts  —  Improbability  of  the  pre- 
diction—  The  Komans  trying  to  save  the  Temple  —  How  the  destruction 
began  —  Two  days'  Conflagration  —  Council  Debate — The  Romans  in  the 
inner  court  —  Storming  the  Temple — The  Holy  of  Holies  on  fire  —  Des- 
peration of  the  Jews  —  Astonishment  of  the  Romans  —  Progress  of  the 
flames  —  Titus  in  the  Holy  of  Holies  —  Last  effort  to  save  the  building  — 
How  the  Prediction  was  finally  fulfilled. 

Verse  1.    AND  JESUS  WENT  OUT,  AND  DEPARTED  FROM  THE  TEMPLE  ;    AND  HIS 

DISCIPLES  CAME  TO  HIM,  FOR  TO  SHOW  HIM  THE  BUILDINGS  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 

THE  disciples  had  enjoyed  but  few  opportunities  of  visiting 
the  temple,  for  their  usual  residence  was  in  Galilee.  It  was 
not  unnatural  for  them,  then,  to  express  their  admiration  at 
the  extent,  magnificence,  and  beauty  of  the  sacred  edifice. 
And  they  desired  to  have  their  Master  observe  the  buildings 
of  the  temple  ;  of  what  materials  they  were  built,  and  how 
adorned  with  goodly  stones  and  gifts.  As  the  Lord  Jesus  had 
undoubtedly  observed  these  things  in  his  previous  visits  to 
Jerusalem,  perhaps  their  reason  for  directing  his  attention  to 
them  at  this  time,  was,  because  he  had  just  declared  in  their 
hearing,  that  the  temple  should  be  left  desolate,  and  that  he 
should  visit  it  no  more.  And  he  had  also  on  a  previous  occa- 
sion predicted  the  utter  desolation  of  the  whole  city.  In  their 
still  imperfect  faith,  they  may  have  thought  that  he  had  not 


70  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

duly  considered  the  exceeding  improbability  that  such  an 
edifice  should  be  so  totally  overthrown,  as  not  to  l|ave  one 
stone  upon  another.  Lu.  xix.  44. 

They  called  his  attention  to  the  buildings  of  the  temple. 
The  temple  proper  stood  on  the  highest  part  of  Mount  Moriah, 
and  was  surrounded  by  a  great  variety  of  buildings,  of  which, 
however,  no  very  definite  idea  can  be  obtained  without  a  dia- 
gram. The  whole  group  of  walls,  porches,  and  buildings  was 
more  than  half  a  mile  in  circumference.  The  principal  build- 
ing, which  gave  name  to  all  the  rest,  stood  nearly  in  the 
centre  of  this  vast  enclosure,  and  overlooked  the  whole.  Its 
front,  which  faced  the  east,  had  a  portico  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  long,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high. 

This  temple  was,  in  some  sense,  the  third  temple,  and  was 
built  by  Herod  the  Great.  But  as  the  second  temple,  which 
was  erected  under  the  supervision  of  Zerubbabel,  500  years 
33.  C.,  was  not  ia  reality  destroyed,  but  only — by  a  gradual 
reedification — enlarged  and  improved,  until  finally  the  new 
buildings  superseded  the  former,  therefore  the  new  temple 
was  still  called  the  second  one.  And  this  was  the  more  appro- 
priate, because  the  regular  service  of  the  temple  was  con- 
tinued without  interruption  during  the  whole  process  of 
renewing  the  building. 

Our  Lord  introduced  his  discourse  in  a  manner  calculated 
to  arrest  attention  and  affect  the  heart.  He  announced  the 
utter  destruction  of  that  great  and  holy  edifice,  so  venerated 
and  beloved  by  the  Jews ;  so  admired  by  the  world.  And 
his  discourse  was  rendered  still  more  impressive,  from  the 
fact,  that,  at  this  very  time,  their  attention  was  particularly 
directed  to  the  extent,  solidity,  and  beauty  of  the  holy  house. 

[Mark:   AND  ONE  OF  HIS  DISCIPLES  SAITH  UNTO  HIM,  MASTER,  SEE  WHAT  MANNER 

OF  STONES,   AND  WHAT  BUILDINGS  ARE  HERE!] 

As  Jesus  went  out  and  departed  from  the  temple,  he  ap- 
pears to  have  gone  somewhat  in  advance  of  his  disciples ;  and 
when  he  was  in  a  position  favorable  for  viewing  the  buildings, 
the  disciples  came  to  him  to  direct  his  attention  to  their  solid- 
ity and  beauty.  One  of  the  disciples — speaking  probably 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  71 

for  the  rest  —  desired  him  to  "see  what  manner  of  stones" 
composed  the  walls.  We  are  informed  by  Josephus  —  who  is 
good  authority  in  the  case  —  that  "  The  temple  was  built  of 
stones  that  were  white  and  strong  ;  and  each  of  their  length 
was  twenty-five  cubits ;  their  height  was  eight,  and  their 
breadth  about  twelve." 

It  is  not  surprising,  then,  that  these  Galileans  should  ex- 
claim, "  Master,  see  what  manner  of  stones,  and  what  build- 
ings are  here  !"  Each  of  these  beautifully  shaped  and  pol- 
ished stones  was  as  large  as  a  small  dwelling  house !  No 
European  or  American  architecture  exhibits  such  vast  blocks, 
either  in  its  walls  or  foundations.  And  there  are  but  few 
architectural  remains  in  Asia  and  Africa  that  could  compare 
with  the  Jewish  temple 

[Luke:  AND  SOME  SPAKE  OF  THE  TEMPLE,  HOW  IT  WAS  ADORNED  WITH  GOODLY 

BTONE9    AND   GIFTS.] 

Of  these  adornments  we  may  form  some  conception,  by  a 
single  quotation  from  Josephus,  who  was  an  eye-witness  of 
what  he  describes :  "  The  temple  had  doors  also  at  the  en- 
trance, and  lintels  over  them,  of  the  same  height  with  the 
temple  itself.  They  were  adorned  with  embroidered  vails, 
with  their  flowers  of  purple,  and  pillars  interwoven ;  and  over 
these,  but  under  the  crown  work,  was  spread  out  a  golden 
vine,  with  its  branches  hanging  down  from  a  great  height ; 
the  largeness,  and  fine  workmanship  of  which,  was  a  surpris- 
ing sight  to  the  spectators,  to  see  what  vast  materials  there 
were,  and  with  what  great  skill  the  workmanship  was  done."* 

There  were  undoubtedly  many  other  ornaments,  not  only 
of  the  precious  metals,  but  also  of  precious  stones,  variously 
displayed  within  and  upon  the  temple  :  it  was  as  beautiful  as 
it  was  magnificent  and  strong.  These  ornaments  were  gifts, 
presented  by  different  persons,  for  the  purpose  of  beautifying 
the  h«us«  of  God.  They  were  gifts,  also,  in  the  sense  of 
being  demoted  to  that  especial  purpose.  It  was  not  unusual, 
anciently,  for  people  of  all  forms  and  systems  of  religion  to 
make  gifts  to  the  divinities  they  worshipped. 

*  Jewish  Antiquities,  Whiston's  translation,  B.  15,  c.  11,  s.  8. 


HARMONY   AND    EXPOSITION. 

Those  which  were  devoted  to  the  adorning  of  the  temples 
Of  their  gods,  were  conspicuously  exhibited  as  tokens  of  de- 
votion and  gratitude.  The  Jews  were  also  accustomed  to 
present  beautiful  and  useful  articles  to  Jehovah  their  God ; 
and  sometimes  they  were  devoted  to  ornament  his  sanctuary. 

The  more  especial  object  of  this  Treatise  does  not  make  it 
appropriate  to  dwell  upon  the  particulars  of  the  structure  of 
the  temple.  The  reader  is  therefore  referred  to  other  works, 
in  which  he  may  find  a  thousand  particulars  which  are  not 
noticed  in  this. 

Verse  2.  AND  JESUS  SAID  UNTO  THEM,  SEE  YE  NOT  ALL  THESE  THINGS  ?  YERILY 
I  SAY  UNTO  YOU,  [Luke :  THE  DAYS  WILL  COME,  IN  THE  WHICH]  THERE  SHALL  NOT  BE 

LEFT  HERE  ONE  STONE  UPON  ANOTHER,  THAT  SHALL  NOT  BE  THROWN  DOWN. 

It  must  have  seemed  very  improbable  that  such  a  building 
should  be  so  utterly  overthrown,  that  not  one  stone  should  be 
left  upon  another.  The  size  of  the  stones,  and  the  strength  of 
the  walls,  and  the  solidity  of  the  foundations,  were  such,  that 
no  common  calamity  could  ever  bring  about  such  utter  deso- 
lation. And  the  improbability  of  the  prediction  must  have 
been  greatly  increased  by  the  apparently  impregnable  defences 
by  which  the  holy  house  was  guarded. 

If  to  this  we  add,  the  superstitious  veneration  which  the 
Jews  had  for  their  temple,  and  which  at  any  time  would  in- 
spire them  to  make  almost  superhuman  efforts  to  preserve  it 
from  injury ;  and  consider,  also,  the  uniform  protection  which 
the  Romans  extended  to  the  religious  institutions  of  the  na- 
tions they  subjected;  we  can  but  perceive  that  our  Lord  did 
not  prophesy  from  a  consideration  of  what  might  seem  proba- 
ble, but  from  omniscient  perception  of  all  future  events. 

We  learn  from  history  that  the  Roman  general  who  con- 
quered the  city,  did  not  design  to  demolish  the  temple,  but 
greatly  desired  to  preserve  it.  This  was  especially  true  of 
the  temple  proper.  The  holy  house  was  strongly  built,  and 
well  calculated  for  defence ;  and  the  Romans  despaired  of  the 
complete  conquest  of  the  Jews,  so  long  as  the  temple  remained 
to  serve  them  as  a  citadel. 

The  desire  to  preserve  the  temple  did  not  prevent  the  most 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  73 

extraordinary  efforts  to  drive  out  the  Jews.  So,  as  soon  as 
the  Romans  obtained  access  to  the  buildings  of  the  courts  that 
surrounded  the  temple  proper,  they  set  fire  to  some  of  the 
outer  gates,  which  were  made  of  wood,  and  covered  with  sil- 
ver plates.  The  fire  spread  from  the  gates  to  the  cloisters 
which  surrounded  the  inner  court,  and  raged  for  two  days. 
These  cloisters  were  three  stories  high.  On  the  third  day, 
Titus,  the  Roman  general,  ordered  a  part  of  the  army  to  pro- 
ceed to  extinguish  the  fire,  which  it  appears  was  finally  ac- 
complished. 

At  the  same  time  he  called  a  council  of  the  commanders 
of  the  legions,  the  procurators,  and  the  tribunes,  to  consult 
with  them  about  what  should  be  done  with  the  temple.  As 
it  is  interesting  to  watch  the  progress  of  all  events  that  tend- 
ed to  help  or  to  hinder  the  fulfillment  of  the  improbable  pre- 
diction, the  observations  on  this  verse  will  be  extended,  so  as 
to  bring  definitely  before  us  the  precise  manner  in  which  the 
prophecy  met  is  fulfillment. 

"When  the  subject  of  the  destruction  of  the  temple  was  sub- 
mitted to  the  council,  same  of  them  —  as  Josephus  says  — 
"  thought  it  would  be  the  best  way  to  act  according  to  the 
rules  of  war,  and  demolish  it ;  because  the  Jews  would  never 
leave  off  rebelling  while  that  house  was  standing,  at  which 
house  it  was  that  they  used  to  get  altogether." 

Others  were  of  the  opinion  that  "  in  case  the  Jews  would 
leave  it,  and  none  of  them  would  lay  their  arms  upon  it, 
he  might  save  it ;  but  that  in  case  they  got  upon  it,  and 
fought  any  more,  he  might  burn  it ;  because  it  must  then  be 
looked  upon,  not  as  a  holy  house,  but  as  a  citadel ;  and  that 
the  impiety  of  burning  it  would  then  belong  to  those  that 
forced  this  to  be  done,  and  not  to  them." 
.  But  Titus  said,  "  that  although  the  Jews  should  get  upon 
that  holy  house,  and  fight  us  thence,  yet  ought  we  not  to  re- 
venge ourselves  on  things  that  are  inanimate,  instead  of  the 
men  themselves  ;  and  that  he  was  not  in  any  case  for  burn- 
ing down  so  vast  a  work  as  that  was,  because  this  would  be  a 
mischief  to  the  Romans  themselves,  as  it  would  be  an  orna- 
ment to  their  government  while  it  continued." 


74  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

The  house  here  spoken  of  appears  to  have  been  the  temple 
proper,  around  which  the  other  buildings  and  cloisters  were 
arranged.  "While  this  council  was  holding  its  deliberations, 
the  fire  in  the  cloisters  around  the  inner  court  was  still  raging, 
notwithstanding  that  a  part  of  the  army  was  engaged  in  sub- 
duing it. 

The  opinion  of  Titus  prevailed ;  and  a  still  larger  part  of 
the  army  was  dispatched  to  assist  in  extinguishing  the  flames. 
The  lire  had  not  yet  reached  the  temple  proper,  nor  the  porch- 
es and  rooms  in  immediate  connection  with  it.  Upon  this 
lofty,  central  building,  and  immediately  around  it,  the  Jews 
had  gathered,  to  make  their  final  struggle  to  save  themselves 
and  their  holy  house. 

The  fire  had  now  so  destroyed  the  surrounding  gates  and 
cloisters,  that,  by  forcing  their  way  through  the  burning  ruins, 
the  Romans  could  get  into  the  inner  court,  and  come  directly 
around  the  temple  proper,  which  Titus  was  so  anxious  to  pre- 
serve. The  Jews  were  still  more  anxious  to  preserve  it  than 
he ;  for  it  was  not  only  their  last  refuge,  but  they  regarded 
its  desecration  with  the  utmost  dread  and  horror. 

The  next  morning  after  the  council,  Titus  stormed  the  tem- 
ple with  his  whole  army,  still  designing,  however,  to  preserve 
it.  The  Romans  succeeded  in  forcing  their  way  into  the  inner 
court,  and  came  into  close  conflict  with  the  Jews  directly 
around  the  holy  house.  Titus  was  at  this  time  resting  in  his 
tent,  some  distance  from  the  scene  of  action.  And  now  one 
of  the  Roman  soldiers,  without  any  orders,  and,  indeed,  in 
violation  of  orders,  "  hurried  only  by  a  certain  divine  fury," 
as  Josephus  has  it,  snatched  a  brand  from  the  burning  ruins 
of  the  surrounding  cloisters ;  and,  being  lifted  up  on  the 
shoulders  of  another  man,  he  hurled  the  blazing  brand  through 
one  of  the  windows  of  the  chambers  that  were  built  around 
the  holy  house,  and  set  the  edifice  on  fire. 

The  flames  immediately  burst  out  of  the  rooms  around  the 
temple,  and  mounted  upward  around  the  temple  building  it- 
self; and  the  Jews  instantly  perceived  that  their  holy  house 
could  not  be  saved.  As  the  flames  raged  upward,  the  Jews 
made  a  terrible  clamor,  and  labored  with  desperation  to 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  75 

vent  its  ravages.  "  And  now,"  says  their  historian,  "  they 
spared  not  their  lives  any  longer,  nor  suffered  anything  to 
restrain  their  force,  since  that  holy  house  was  perishing,  for 
whose  sake  it  was  that  they  had  kept  such  a  guard  about  it." 

"  And  now,"  he  continues,  "  a  certain  person  came  running 
to  Titus,  and  told  him  of  this  fire,  as  he  was  resting  himself 
in  his  tent,  after  the  last  battle ;  whereupon  he  rose  up  in 
great  haste,  and  [unarmed]  as  he  was,  ran  to  the  holy  house, 
in  order  to  have  a  stop  put  to  the  fire.  After  him  followed 
all  his  commanders ;  and  after  them  followed  the  several  le- 
gions in  great  astonishment ;  so  there  was  a  great  clamor  and 
tumult  raised,  as  was  natural  upon  the  disorderly  motion  of 
so  great  an  army.  Then  did  [Titus]  Caesar,  both  by  calling  to 
the  soldiers  that  were  fighting,  with  a  loud  voice,  and  by  giv- 
ing a  signal  to  them  with  his  right  hand,  order  them  to  quench 
the  fire.  But  they  did  not  hear  what  he  said,  though  he  spake 
so  loud,  having  their  ears  already  dinned  by  a  greater  noise 
another  way ;  nor  did  they  attend  to  the  signal  he  made  with 
his  hand  neither,  as  still  some  of  them  were  distracted  with 
fighting,  and  others  with  passion.  But  as  for  the  legions  that 
came  running  thither,  neither  any  persuasions,  nor  any  threat- 
enings,  could  restrain  their  violence ;  but  each  one's  own  pas- 
sion was  his  commander  at  this  time.  And  as  they  were 
crowding  into  the  temple  together,  many  of  them  were  tram- 
pled on  by  one  another,  while  a  great  number  fell  among  the 
ruins  of  the  cloisters,  which  were  still  hot  and  smoking,  and 
were  destroyed  in  the  same  miserable  way  as  those  whom 
they  had  conquered.  And  when  they  were  come  near  the 
holy  house,  they  made  as  if  they  did  not  hear  Caesar's  orders 
to  the  contrary  ;  but  they  encouraged  those  that  were  before 
them  to  set  it  on  fire."  * 

The  inner  and  most  holy  part  of  the  building  was  not  yet 
on  fire  ;  and  Titus  still  hoped  to  preserve  that  part  from  the 
flames.  With  some  of  his  officers,  Titus  went  into  the  holy 
of  holies,  and  found  it  to  be  far  superior  to  the  representa- 
tions which  foreigners  had  made  of  it,  and  determined  to 

»  War,  B.  6,  c.  4» 


76  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

make  another  effort  to  preserve  it.  So  he  "  came  up  in  great 
haste,  [to  the  upper  portions  of  the  building,  where  the  flames 
were  burning,]  and  endeavored  to  persuade  the  soldiers  to 
quench  the  flames ;  and  gave  order  to  Liberalius,  the  centu- 
rion, and  one  of  the  spearmen  that  were  about  him,  to  beat 
the  soldiers  that  were  refractory  with  their  staves,  and  restrain, 
them.  Yet  were  their  passions  too  hard  for  the  regards  they 
had  for  Caesar,  and  the  dread  they  had  of  him  who  forbade 
them ;  as  was  their  hatred  of  the  Jews,  and  a  certain  vehe- 
ment inclination  to  fight  them  too  hard  for  them  also.  More- 
over, the  hope  of  plunder  induced  many  to  go  on,  as  having 
this  opinion,  that  all  the  places  within  were  full  of  money, 
and  as  seeing  that  all  around  about  it  was  made  of  gold. 
And,  besides,  one  of  those  that  went  into  the  place  [the  holy 
place]  prevented  Caesar,  when  he  ran  so  hastily  out  [as  before 
mentioned]  to  restrain  the  soldiers,  and  threw  the  fire  upon 
the  hinges  of  the  [inner]  gate,  in  the  dark ;  whereby  the  flame 
burst  out  from  within  the  holy  house  itself  immediately,  wheii 
the  commanders  retired,  and  Caesar  with  them  ;  and  when  no- 
body any  longer  forbade  those  that  were  without  to  set  fire  to 
it.  And  thus  was  the  holy  house  burnt  down  without  Caesar's 
approbation." 

Thus,  against  the  wishes  of  Titus,  and  in  spite  of  the  des- 
perate exertions  of  the  Jews,  the  temple  was  destroyed,  im- 
probable as  the  event  had  appeared.  But  still  the  strange 
prediction  of  Christ  was  not  completely  fulfilled ;  the  most 
improbable  part  remained  to  be  accomplished ;  for  with  all 
the  devastation  of  human  conflict,  and  raging  flames,  the 
solid  walls  and  foundations  must  have  remained  in  many  pla- 
ces standing.  No  common  accident,  or  ordinary  military 
destruction,  could  have  thrown  the  walls  so  utterly  prostrate 
as  to  leave  not  one  stone  upon  another.  It  now  remains  to 
show  how  the  prediction  received  its  complete  fulfillment. 

After  the  city  was  entirely  subdued,  Titus  gave  orders  that 
it  should  be  utterly  demolished,  excepting  three  of  the  princi- 
pal towere,  and  so  much  of  the  western  wall  as  might  serve 
as  a  protection  for  the  camp  of  the  garrison  that  was  left  on 
the  ground.  The  towers  were  reserved  as  specimens  of  the 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

fortifications  of  the  city  that  had  been  overthrown.  And  here 
again  we  bring  forward  the  Jewish  historian. 

"  Caesar  gave  orders  that  they  should  now  demolish  the  en- 
tire city  and  temple"  (excepting,  of  course,  the  towers  and 
wall  afore-mentioned.)  "  But  for  all  the  rest  of  the  wall,  it 
was  so  thoroughly  laid  even  with  the  ground,  by  those  that  DUG 
IT  UP  TO  THE  FOUNDATION,  that  there  was  left  nothing  to  make 
those  that  came  thither  believe  it  had  ever  been  inhabited" 

This  demolition,  as  we  have  seen,  extended  to  the  entire  city 
and  temple,  with  the  aforesaid  exceptions,  which  did  not  in- 
clude any  part  of  the  temple.  The  garrison  which  was  left 
on  the  ground  was  under  the  command  of  Terentius  Rufus. 
The  Jewish  Talmudists  call  him  Turnus  Rufus  ;  and  they  re- 
late, that  he  plowed  up  Zaon  as  a  field,  and  made  Jerusalem 
become  as  heaps,  and  the  mountain  of  the  house  [the  temple 
mountain]  as  the  high  places  of  a  forest" 

Thus  we  have  the  testimony  of  such  historians  as  cannot  be 
Suspected  of  partiality  toward  Christ,  to  prove  the  most  literal 
and  astonishing  fulfillment  of  a  most  minute  and  unlikely 
prediction.  Nothing  but  Omniscience  could  have  foreseen 
this  unparalleled  devastation,  so  many  years  before  it  trans- 
pired. We  observe  here  the  most  minute  and  rigid  fulfillment ; 
and  we  may  not  unnecessarily  resort  to  fiction  or  figure  to  ex- 
plain any  part  of  this  prophecy. 


78  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Principal  subject — CALAMITIES  OF  THE  JEWS  PEEVIOUSLY  TO 
THE  SIEGE  OF  JERUSALEM. 

Supposition  of  the  disciples  concerning  the  Coming  of  Christ,  and  of  the  End 
of  the  World  —  Design  of  Christ's  Discourse  —  Caution  against  Deceivers 
— Source  of  danger  —  Impostors  claiming  to  be  the  Christ  that  was  cruci- 
fied—  Plausibility  of  their  pretensions — "Wars  and  Rumors  of  "Wars — Pro- 
gress in  the  commotions — Character  of  Christ's  Predictions — Famines  and 
Pestilences  —  Earthquakes  —  Singular  Comments  —  Objections  —  Criticisms 
— Literal  and  figurative  Language  —  Earthquakes  in  divers  places  —  Signs 
in  the  heavens — Fearful  sights  on  the  earth  —  Indications  —  An  Army  in 
the  clouds — The  Supernatural  Voice — The  wonderful  Warning  —  Some- 
thing still  worse  —  Affecting  Illustration. 

Verse  8.  AND  AS  HE  SAT  UPON  THE  MOUNT  OF  OLIVES,  [Mark :  OVER  AGAINST  THE 
TEMPLE,]  THE  DISCIPLES,  [Mark  :  PETER,  AND  JAMES,  AND  JOHN,  AND  ANDREW,]  CAMS 

UNTO   HIM   PRIVATELY,    SAYING,     TELL   US,  WHEN  SHALL  THESE  THINGS  BE  ?    AND  WHAT 
SHALL  BE  THE  SIGN  OF   THY  COMING,  AND  OF  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD? 

FROM  the  preliminary  chapters,  especially  chap,  iii.,  part  first, 
it  will  appear  that  the  disciples  came  to  Christ  with  erroneous 
and  confused  notions  respecting  both  the  nature  of  his  com- 
ing, and  the  time  and  order  of  relative  events.  The  coming 
for  which  they  looked  was  a  literal,  personal  coming,  as  a  tem- 
poral prince,  to  set  up  his  throne,  and  reign  gloriously  upon 
the  earth.  The  destruction  of  the  temple  they  probably  re- 
garded as  a  part  of  the  general  judgment  upon  his  enemies 
which  he  would  inflict  at  his  coming.  And  they  supposed — 
as  has  been  exhibited  in  previous  chapters — that  it  would 
take  place  at  the  end  of  the  world.  "What  was  their  precise 
idea  of  the  end  of  the  world,  does  not  fully  appear.  But 
they  appear  to  have  understood  that  the  world  would,  in  some 
sense,  come  to  an  end,  because  the  Lord  had  distinctly  spo- 
ken of  his  coming  to  judgment  at  the  end  of  the  world.  See 
Matt.  xiii. 

And  all  this  they  supposed  would  transpire  in  a  few  years : 


HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION.  79 

within  their  own  lifetime.  See  Matt.  xvi.  28.  ISTow  here 
was  a  mingling  of  truth  and  error ;  a  confounding  together  of 
things  totally  unconnected.  And  it  behooved  the  Lord  Jesus 
to  correct  their  errors,  and  to  establish  them  in  the  truth. 

The  theory  of  exposition  maintained  in  this  volume  pro- 
ceeds upon  the  supposition,  that  this  discourse  of  our  Lord 
was  intended  principally  to  accomplish  this  purpose.  But  as 
this  point  has  been  so  fully  exhibited  in  the  former  part  of  the 
work,  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  more  in  this  connection. 

Verse  4.   AND  JESUS  ANSWERED,  AND  SAID  UNTO  THEM,  TAKE  HEED  THAT  NO  MAN 

DECEIVE  YOU. 

Our  Lord  begins  his  reply  by  cautioning  them  against  de- 
ception. He  very  well  knew  that  they  would  be  in  danger 
of  being  imposed  upon  by  deceivers.  The  note  of  Richard 
Watson  on  this  verse  is  too  appropriate  to  be  omitted :  "  He 
first  cautions  them  against  those  false  pretenders  to  the  Mes- 
siahship,  who  should  mislead  many  of  the  Jews ;  because  they 
would  flatter  their  expectations  of  a  worldly  kingdom ;  and 
promise  them  deliverance  from  the  hated  Romans.  Both  of 
these  feelings  formed  so  strong  a  passion  with  the  Jews,  that 
they  were  easily  led  to  join  the  ranks  of  any  pretender ;  and 
Christ's  followers  were  admonished  to  take  heed,  because  their 
carnal  and  national  prejudices  were  also  strong ;  and  under 
their  infatuating  influences  they  also  might  be  seduced  from 
attachment  to  a  religion  wholly  spiritual,  —  one,  too,  which 
would  appear  anti-national,  as  containing  threatening  of  the 
entire  overthrow  of  their  state  and  nation." 

Verse  5.    FOR  MANY  SHALL  COME  IN  MY  NAME,  SAYING,   I  AM  CHRIST  ;   AND  SHALL 

DECEIVE  MANY.  \Luke  :  AND  THE  TIME  DRAWETH  NEAR;  GO  YE  NOT  THEREFORE  AF 
fER  THEM.] 

Here  our  Lord  assigns  his  reason  for  warning  them  against 
deception :  because  there  should  be  many  who  would  under- 
take to  deceive  them,  in  a  way  perfectly  adapted  to  their  Jew- 
ish expectations  and  prejudices.  They  would  profess  to  be 
their  Messiah  and  deliverer.  This  would  at  once  arrest  atten- 
tion, and  any  plausible  evidence  of  Messiahship  would  be 


80  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

joyfully  received.  As  the  perplexities  and  aggravations  of 
the  Jews  should  increase,  under  the  hated  domination  of 
the  Romans,  they  would  become  more  and  more  eager  for  the 
deliverer  and  the  deliverance  which  they  supposed  were  prom- 
ised in  the  Scriptures.  Our  Saviour  well  understood  this ; 
and  he  knew  very  well  how  the  false  pretenders  would  take 
advantage  of  it,  in  order  to  succeed  in  their  imposture. 

"  Many  shall  come  IN  MY  NAME,  saying,  I  AM  CHRIST." 

It  is  possible,  and  these  words  appear  to  make  it  probable, 
that  many  of  these  false  Christs  did  really  profess  to  be  Jesus 
himself  j  they  came  in  his  name,  professing  their  Messiahship. 
If  this  was  so,  it  of  course  made  the  danger  of  the  disciples 
still  greater ;  for  they  believed,  from  our  Lord's  own  words, 
that  he  would  come  again. 

That  Jesus  claimed  to  be  the  Christ,  that  he  was  unjustly 
,>ut  to  death,  and  that  he  was  reported  to  have  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  that  astonishing  miracles  were  wrought  in  the  most 
public  places,  in  attestation  of  his  resurrection,  would  soon 
be  matter  of  common  report  among  the  people.  And  that 
he  had  spoken  of  coming  in  his  kingdom,  even  before  that 
generation  had  all  passed  away,  would  probably  be  known 
and  talked  of  among  the  people,  soon  after  the  public  proofs 
of  his  resurrection. 

And  it  could  not  be  possible  for  the  myriads  who  had  at- 
tended his  ministry,  and  had  witnessed  his  innumerable  and 
undeniable  miracles,  very  soon  to  forget  the  impressions  ex- 
cited by  the  demonstrations  of  his  Messiahship.  And  cer- 
tainly the  unnumbered  thousands  who  were  present  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  witnessed  the  prodigies  that  attended  his  death  ; — 
the  darkening  of  the  sun,  and  the  quaking  of  the  earth; — 
certainly  these  could  not  forget  these  astounding  events  that 
made  the  heathen  centurion  exclaim,  "Truly,  this  was  the 
Son  of  God." 

And  could  there  be  any  probability,  or  even  possibility,  of 
forgetting  such  a  supernatural  and  appalling  event,  as  the 
rending  of  the  vail  of  the  temple  from  top  to  bottom,  at  the 
moment  Christ  died  upon  the  cross  ?  These  things  were  not 
done  in  a  corner,  nor  in  the  presence  of  few  people ;  but  in 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


81 


the  most  public  places,  and  in  the  presence  of  all  the  multi- 
tudes that  came  from  every  part  of  the  world  to  attend  the 
great  Paschal  feast. 

It  is  probable,  then,  that  years  after  the  crucifixion,  the 
principal  facts  in  the  case  were  common  topics  of  discourse 
among  the  bewildered  and  excited  people,  who  had  either  wit- 
nessed these  things  personally,  or  heard  of  them  from  those 
who  had. 

And  as  the  troubles  of  the  people  increased,  and  their  su- 
perstitious fears  became  excited,  it  is  not  irrational  to  sup- 
pose, that  troublesome  misgivings  and  gloomy  apprehensions 
were  occasioned.  He  whom  they  had  crucified,  who  claimed 
to  be  their  Messiah,  might  now  appear  to  have  been  indeed 
what  he  professed  to  be.  And  with  misgivings  and  regrets 
for  the  past,  they  would  be  very  eager  to  listen  to  any  evi- 
dence or  report  of  his  coming  again.  This  would  be  especially 
true  of  those  who  had  not  consented  unto  his  death,  and  who 
were  measurably  impressed  with  the  conviction  of  the  reality 
of  his  pretensions. 

Any  promise  of  his  returning  again ;  all  that  he  had  said 
about  it  himself ;  and  all  the  Scripture  that  looked  in  that  di- 
rection, might  be  seized  upon  by  the  false  pretenders  as  so 
many  evidences  in  their  favor,  when  they  professed  to  be 
Christ ;  the  very  Christ  that  had  wrought  the  miracles,  and 
been  the  occasion  of  the  omens  and  prodigies  of  the  days  of 
Jesus.  This  view  of  the  passage  is  not  insisted  upon  ;  but  it 
appeai-s  to  be  warranted  by  the  language  of  Christ.  There  is 
no  positive  historic  confirmation  at  hand ;  and  certainly  there 
is  nothing  to  contradict  it.  The  history  of  the  many  false 
Christs  has  not  descended  to  our  day.  But  who  is  prepared 
to  disprove  the  propriety  of  giving  to  our  Lord's  words  their 
most  appropriate  meaning  ? 

It  is  generally  thought,  however,  that  by  the  words  now 
under  notice,  is  simply  meant,  that  they  would  only  claim  to 
be  the  Messiah,  without  making  any  reference  to  Jesus  of 
Nazareth.  But  it  is  plain  that  the  words  will  bear  a  much 
more  definite  application.  Receiving  the  words,  however,  in 

6 


82  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

the  sense  in  which  they  are  usually  understood,  there  is  no 
part  of  the  prophecy  more  abundantly  proved  to  be  true.* 

"  And  shall  deceive  many." 

The  circumstances  of  the  case  were  so  favorable  for  the  pre- 
tensions of  these  impostors,  that  they  met  with  great  success. 
The  very  people  whom  the  true  Messiah  could  not  persuade 
to  follow  him,  were  so  abandoned  to  their  delusions,  that  they 
flocked  after  these  numerous  deceivers  in  great  numbers. 
Having  rejected  the  true  light  when  it  shined  upon  them,  they 
were  left  in  darkness  to  stumble  at  every  step. 

"  A.nd  the  time  draweth  near  j  go  ye  not  therefore  after 
tJiem." 

The  appearance  of  the  impostors,  and  the  political  troubles 
next  mentioned,  were  not  far  distant ;  the  time  was  nigh  at 
hand.  It  seems  probable,  however,  that  the  reference  to  the 
false  Christs,  before  the  reference  to  their  hearing  of  wars  and 
rumors  of  wars,  somewhat  anticipated  the  chronological  order 
of  events.  The  political  troubles  appear  to  have  been  first. 
But  as  the  Saviour  thought  it  expedient  to  begin  his  discourse 
by  admonishing  them  against  deception,  it  was  natural  to 
assign,  in  brief,  the  reasons  for  being  on  their  guard. 

In  its  appropriate  place  in  his  discourse,  he  resumes  the 
subject,  and  speaks  of  it  more  particularly,  after  describing 
the  commotions  and  troubles  which  would  be  so  prolific  in  the 
production  of  the  Messianic  pretenders.  This  trait  in  the 
character  of  the  discourse  will  be  noticed  again,  in  connection 
with  more  difficult  subjects. 

Verse  6.     AND  YE  SHALL  HEAR  OF  WARS  AND  RUMORS   OF  WARS  ;  SEE  THAT  YE  BE 

NOT  TROUBLED  J    FOR  ALL  THESE  THINGS  MUST  COME  TO  PASS  J    BUT  THE  END  IS  NOT  YET. 

Providence  so  ordered  it,  that  we  have  an  authentic  record 
of  the  various  and  almost  continual  commotions  which  agita- 
ted the  world — particularly  the  Jewish  world — during  the 
time  which  intervened  between  the  delivery  of  this  prophecy 
the  fall  of  Jerusalem.  But,  judging  from  the  state  of 

*  See  note  B,  in  the  Appendix 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  83 

things  at  the  time  Christ  was  living  in  Judea,  it  did  not  seem 
likely  that  the  next  forty  years  would  witness  such  commo- 
tions. The  Roman  government  was  well  established,  and 
general  good  feeling  appeared  to  exist  between  the  Romans 
and  their  subjected  provinces.  Judea  was  at  this  time  a  Ro- 
man dependency,  and  was  governed  by  officers  appointed  by 
the  emperors.  It  was  also  more  or  less  connected  with  the 
various  provinces  and  small  kingdoms  abounding  in  that  part 
of  the  world,  and  which  were  also,  in  some  manner,  depend- 
ent upon  Rome. 

But  when  agitations  began  among  the  numerous  Roman 
dependences,  it  spread  from  one  to  another.  And  as  the  Jews 
were  living  in  almost  every  province  and  city,  they  could  not 
avoid  experiencing  the  inconveniences  and  sufferings  attend- 
ing those  political  commotions.  During  the  latter  part  of  the 
time  that  elapsed  before  the  fall  of  Jerusalem,  the  empire 
itself  was  fearfully  agitated ;  and  wars  and  rumors  of  wars 
abounded. 

And  about  this  time,  for  some  reason,  the  Jews  seemed  to, 
become  peculiarly  obnoxious  and  troublesome  to  the  various 
sorts  of  people  in  the  provinces  and  cities  where  they  resided, 
as  they  were  scattered  throughout  the  world.  And  between 
the  Jews  in  their  own  land  and  their  foreign  rulers,  there 
were  almost  constantly  difficulties.  Rumors  of  the  almost 
unceasing  insurrections,  tumults,  and  massacres  in  other  coun- 
tries would  of  course  reach  Judea,  as  the  troubles  in  Judea 
would  be  known  abroad ;  and  the  strong  bond  of  sympathy 
by  which  the  Jews  everywhere  felt  themselves  united,  would 
naturally  agitate  them,  whenever  anything  of  moment  befell 
their  kindred  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

Judea — and  especially  Jerusalem — was  still  the  heart  of 
the  Jewish  world.  Anything  greatly  affecting  the  heart  af- 
fected also  the  extremities ;  anything  greatly  affecting  the  ex- 
tremities also  affected  the  heart.  To  give  a  particular  nar- 
ration of  all  these  things,  would,  as  one  author  very  truly 
observes,  be  "  to  transcribe  a  great  part  of  the  history  of 
Josephus." 

"And  ye  shall  HEAR  of  wars"  —  evidently  denotes  that 


84  HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION. 

those  of  which  the  Saviour  was  now  speaking,  were  not  so 
much  the  wTars  of  the  Jews  in  their  own  country,  as  those  of 
which  they  should  hear.  And  by  the  rumors  of  wars  we  are 
not  obliged  to  suppose  it  necessarily  means  only  threatened, 
or  anticipated  wars.  It  may  include  both  rumors  of  the 
merely  threatened  wars,  and  the  rumors  of  actual  wars,  flying 
about,  as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  with  the  conflicting  versions 
which  are  so  well  calculated  to  keep  the  mind  in  agitation. 
From  the  history  of  those  times  we  find  this  to  have  been 
actually  the  case.  There  were  real  wars,  with  their  flying 
rumors ;  and  there  were  anticipated  and  threatened  wars,  with 
their  usual  alarms  and  forebodings. 

" See  that  ye  be  not  troubled" 

It  will  be  a  time  of  trouble  and  alarm,  especially  with  such 
as  have  not  the  true  faith  that  keeps  the  heart  composed.  The 
trouble  against  which  he  admonishes  them  is  such  as  may  be 
avoided,  even  in  times  of  trouble.  It  is  the  same  word  that 
Paul  used  in  2  Thess.  ii.  2  ;  when  he  wrote  to  the  Thessaloni- 
ans,  to  calm  the  agitations  which  had  been  excited  there,  by 
the  supposition  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  was  at  hand  :  "  Now 
I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  by  our  gathering  together  unto  him,  that  ye  be 
not  soon  shaken  in  mind,  or  be  troubled,  neither  by  spirit,  nor 
by  word,  nor  by  letter  as  from  us,  as  that  the  day  of  Christ  is 
at  hand." 

Do  not  be  discomposed  ;  do  not  let  yourselves  be  thrown 
into  a  tumult ;  or  become  terrified.  The  word  is  thus  de- 
fined—  "To  make  a  loud  noise,  or  uproar ;  to  make  a  tumult- 
uous noise,  or  outcry ;  to  cry  or  speak  in  a  loud  voice ; "  — • 
and  some  other  definitions  implying  less  excitement. 

It  would  be  very  improper  for  the  disciples  to  be  troubled 
in  this  way.  It  would  be  so  for  a  number  of  reasons :  (1.)  It 
would  be  an  agitation  disproportionate  to  the  wars  and  rumors 
of  wars  of  which  they  should  hear.  (2.)  It  would  imply  a 
want  of  trust  in  the  overruling  Providence  which  was  able  to 
protect  or  deliver  them.  Or,  (3.)  a  want  of  resignation  to 
the  divine  will,  if  they  should  be  required  to  suffer  and  die 
by  these  calamities.  (4.)  If  the  trouble  should  be  occasioned 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  80 

by  expectation  of  the  end  of  the  world  immediately,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  Thessalonians,  it  would  be  occasioned  without  suf- 
ficient reason,  —  "for  the  end  is  not  yet"  "  The  day  of  Christ 
is  not  at  hand."  "  For  all  these  things  must  come  to  pass" 
They  are  matters  to  be  expected.  The  state  of  the  world  is 
such  as  to  make  it  reasonable  to  anticipate  them.  Providence, 
in  its  active  and  permissive  operations,  will  bring  all  these 
things  to  pass.  They  cannot  be  avoided.  And  this  is  another 
reason  why  you  should  not  be  terrified.  Expect  such  things ; 
prepare  for  them  ;  be  in  such  a  readiness  to  meet  them  as  not 
to  be  surprised  into  terror. 

"  But  the  end  is  not  yet" 

Neither  the  end  of  the  troubles  and  commotions,  nor  the 
end  of  the  nation,  nor  of  the  world.  However  much  like 
universal  ruin  things  may  then  appear,  the  end  is  not  yet  5 
there  are  still  many  other  kindred  events  to  follow. 

Verse  7.  FOR  NATION  SHALL  RISE  AGAINST  NATION  ;  AND  KINGDOM  AGAINST  KING- 
DOM ;  AND  THERE  SHALL  BE  FAMINES,  AND  PESTILENCES,  AND  \Luke  :  GREATJ  EARTH- 
QUAKES, IN  DIVERS  PLACES. 

The  wars  and  rumors  of  wars  before  spoken  of,  appear  to 
have  related  more  particularly  to  the  petty  jealousies  and 
sectional  insurrections  which  more  especially  affected  the 
Jews.  But  this  verse  shows  a  progress  in  the  warlike  move- 
ments of  the  age  ;  and  also  subsequency  in  the  order  of  oc- 
currence. 

These  wars  now  spoken  of  will  be  something  more  than  the 
neighborhood  conflicts,  and  sectional  commotions  among  the 
people  of  the  same  place  and  country.  It  will  be  a  rising  up 
of  nation  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom. 

And  such  truly  was  the  progress  of  sanguinary  conflicts  in 
those  days.  The  wars  were  on  a  larger  scale.  The  compara- 
tively insignificant  contests  among  the  people  of  the  same 
tribe,  province,  or  city,  soon  began  to  involve  nations.  The 
leaven  of  local  jealousy  spread  until  the  world  became  more 
generally  affected. 

To  give  a  detailed  account  of  the  manner  in  which  this  part 
of  the  prophecy  was  fulfilled,  would  extend  the  exposition 


86  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

further  than  would  comport  with  the  author's  design.  Those 
who  are  best  acquainted  with  the  history  of  those  times,  will 
be  most  ready  to  acknowledge  the  wonderful  definiteness  and 
precision  of  our  Saviour,  in  giving  not  only  a  general  state- 
ment of  the  commotions  of  those  times,  but  also  in  portray- 
ing the  successive  order  and  progress  of  events.  And  why 
should  he  not  ?  Was  he  not  truly  omniscient  ?  Did  he  not 
foresee  the  rise,  and  progress,  and  final  result  of  all  events, 
just  as  if  they  were  moving  as  a  panorama  before  his  eye  ? — • 
He  who  did  nothing  amiss,  said  nothing  out  of  true  order. 
If  he  sometimes  reversed  the  chronological  order,  it  was  for 
some  special  reason,  for  the  better  ordering  of  his  discourse, 
that  it  might  be  the  more  clear  and  impressive.  But  in  the 
case  of  the  words  now  under  notice,  the  true  order  of  occur- 
rence is  indicated. 

"  And  there  shall  fie  famines." 

One  of  these  famines  was  foretold  by  a  prophet  by  the 
name  of  Agabus,  as  may  be  seen  by  referring  to  Acts  xi.  2$. 
Josephus  describes  it  as  having  been  so  severe  at  Jerusalem, 
that  many  people  died  from  want  of  food.  Several  other  his- 
torians also  mention  the  same  famine.  Several  times  in 
the  reign  of  Claudius  Caesar,  famines  prevailed  in  several 
parts  of  the  empire,  particularly  in  Rome,  Greece,  and 
Palestine.  Perhaps  no  other  period  of  time  had  so  many 
famines  as  this.  Those  of  which  we  read  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment happened  usually  after  long  intervals.  But  the  period 
referred  to  in  the  text  may  be  said,  with  a  degree  of  justness, 
to  have  been  characterized  by  famines.  Some  of  these  should 
undoubtedly  be  attributed  to  the  agitations  of  the  times.  But 
this  will  not  account  for  them  all :  some  must  be  regarded  as 
special  judgments,  like  the  famine  in  the  days  of  Ahab. 

"  And  pestilences" 

Plagues,  properly  so  called,  or  other  pestiferous  and  epi- 
demic diseases.  These  should  prevail.  Such  diseases  do  not 
always  attend  upon  famines;  but  they  are  very  likely  to 
result.  There  are  several  pestilences  noticed  by  the  histories 
of  that  period ;  and  they  seem  to  have  visited  more  particu- 
larly those  places  where  the  Jews  resided.  Perhaps,  however, 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  87 

this  should  not  be  considered  remarkable,  for  the  Jews  were 
found  in  great  numbers  in  nearly  all  the  prominent  places 
mentioned  in  the  history  of  those  times. 

Josephus  describes  one  of  those  pestilences  which  visited 
Babylon,  and  occasioned  many  removals  from  that  city.  An- 
other is  mentioned  by  Tacitus,  as  having  occurred  about  this 
time.  But  as  the  oriental  countries  have  been  from  time  im- 
memorial more  or  less  troubled  with  famines  and  pestilences, 
they  could  hardly  be  considered  as  marking  any  particular 
period,  unless  they  occurred  with  unusual  frequency.  This 
was  undoubtedly  the  case  at  this  time. 

" And  [great]  earthquakes,  in  divers  places" 

The  word  rendered  earthquake  literally  means  a  shaking. 
It  is  thus  defined  by  a  standard  lexicon :  (The  noun)  "  A 
shaking;  but  especially  an  earthquake."  (The  verb)  "To 
shake;  to  toss;  to  agitate;  to  shake  —  the  earth  in  an  earth- 
quake" The  italicising  is  according  to  the  lexicon,  and  is 
designed  to  show  the  appropriate  and  common  use  of  the  term. 

While  no  one  is  disposed  to  call  in  question  the  correctness 
of  the  translation,  as  we  find  it  in  our  English  Bibles,  is  it 
not  surprising  that  some  of  our  commentators  should  indicate 
a  disposition  to  wrest  this  word  from  its  appropriate  literal 
use  in  this  place,  and  expound  it  as  &  figure?  One  justly 
celebrated  expositor  introduces  his  observations  on  this  sen- 
tence in  this  manner :  "  In  prophetic  language,  earthquakes 
sometimes  mean  political  commotions.  Literally  they  are 
tremors  or  shakings  of  the  earth,"  &c. 

ISTow,  the  prophecy  of  Christ  must  of  course  be  considered 
as  "prophetic  language,"  though  perhaps  not  precisely  such 
language  as  the  quotation  intends.  But  where  is  the  propri- 
ety of  intimating  a  doubt  as  to  the  intention  of  the  word  in 
this  connection  ?  Has  there  been  any  instance  of  figurative 
language  in  this  discourse  thus  far  ?  Was  there  any  difficulty 
with  the  writer  in  finding  abundant  proof  of  the  exact  lite- 
rality  of  the  fulfillment  of  the  prediction  ?  Not  at  all.  Why, 
then,  unnecessarily  introduce  any  observation  that  would  tend 
to  weaken  the  force,  and  lessen  the  definiteness  of  this 
prophecy  ? 


88  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

Another  commentator,  still  more  celebrated  than  the  first, 
comments  on  the  passage  thus :  "  If  we  take  the  word  island 
form  2s»w,  to  shake,  in  the  first  sense,  then  it  means  particularly 
those  popular  commotions  and  insurrections  which  have 
already  been  noted ;  and  this  I  think  to  ~be  the  true  meaning 
of  the  word ;  but  if  we  confine  it  to  earthquakes,  there  were 
several  in  those  times  to  which  our  Lord  refers." 

How  many  other  celebrated  divines  have  ventured  such  an 
opinion,  the  author  is  not  particularly  concerned  to  know. 
By  whomsoever,  and  for  what  purpose  soever,  such  a  sugges- 
tion is  ventured  concerning  the  application  of  the  word,  in  its 
present  connection,  it  is  certainly  liable  to  several  serious 
objections : 

(1.)  It  obscures  a  confessedly  simple  and  literal  narration, 
(it  is  certainly  so  up  to  this  point,)  by  the  introduction  of  a 
figurative  term  in  the  midst  of  literal  language,  without  any 
necessity  for  it,  and  without  any  note  or  appearance  of  figura- 
tive character.  This  is  manifestly  a  violation  of  all  good 
rules  in  writing  and  speaking. 

(2.)  It  makes  the  narration  imperfect  in  other  respects; 
first,  by  leaving  no  appropriate  word  to  apply  to  the  literal 
earthquakes  which  did  remarkably  accompany  the  other  signs 
mentioned  in  connection  with  the  word  in  question.  Sec- 
ondly, by  making  the  word  purely,  yet  unnecessarily,  tauto- 
logical ;  for  if  the  word,  in  its  present  connections,  means 
only  the  political  agitations  which  have  just  been  particularly 
described,  then  it  is  purely  tautological.  If  it  means  politi- 
cal commotions,  other  than  the  first  described,  it  unnecessarily 
confuses  the  narration,  by  introducing  two  different  ways  of 
describing  the  same  thing — a  figurative,  and  a  literal  way — • 
without  the  least  appearance  of  a  change  of  style. 

This  must  be  considered  in  no  other  light,  than  that  of  a 
dangerous  precedent  in  the  interpretation  of  inspired  lan- 
guage. And  it  should  never  be  countenanced ;  especially  in 
such  a  case  as  the  one  before  us,  where  there  is  not  only  no 
need  of  it,  but  absolute  injury  results  to  the  whole  prophecy; 
for  when  we  l>egin  to  indulge  in  this  preference  for  the  figura- 
tive over  the  literal,  when  there  is  no  occasion  for  the  figura- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  80 

tive,  with  what  safety  can  we  be  trusted  in  those  more  obscure 
portions  of  the  Scriptures,  where  the  literality  of  the  language 
is  not  quite  so  apparent  ? 

(3.)  Neither  is  the  ground  of  choice  in  preferring  the  figura- 
tive to  the  literal,  in  the  case  before  us,  a  safe  ground.  It  is 
not  always  safe  to  suppose  that  the  noun  must  have  a  mean- 
ing perfectly  accordant  with  the  verb  from  which  it  is 
derived.  Rigid  adherence  to  such  a  rule  would  introduce 
confusion  into  our  common  language,  and  greatly  disarrange 
our  modes  of  thought  and  expression.  It  is  very  frequently 
necessary  for  us  to  interpret  colloquial  language,  not  so  much 
with  reference  to  its  radical  origin,  as  to  its  conventional  use 
by  the  people.  And  even  if  there  were  (which  is  not  the 
case  in  this  instance)  any  departure  from  the  rigid  etymologi- 
cal derivation  of  the  word,  the  very  connection  of  the  word, 
and  the  admitted  facts  of  its  literal  fulfillment,  together  with 
its  appropriate  and  common  use,  ought  to  preclude  the  very 
idea  of  its  being  figurative. 

Do  not  let  these  extended  remarks  on  what  may  appear  to 
be  a  trifling  matter,  become  a  weariness  to  the  reader.  Noth- 
ing is  trifling  in  the  words  of  inspiration;  all  is  serious, 
weighty,  and  worthy  of  the  highest  deference.  Nevertheless, 
the  comparatively  unimportant  perversion  of  the  words  in 
question  would  have  passed  with  a  mere  notice,  if  it  were  not 
for  the  fact,  that  this  loose  and  inconsistent  method  of  com- 
menting has  not  only  nearly  ruined  the  moral  effect  of  this 
most  important  prophecy,  but  has  also  opened  the  door  for  the 
introduction  of  the  most  pernicious  errors.  This  tendency  to 
figurativeness,  which,  as  in  the  case  before  us,  without  any 
occasion,  or  justification,  confounds  poetry  with  prose,  the 
figurative  with  the  literal; — this  apparent  choice  of,  and 
appetite  for,  figurative  exegesis,  so  that  whatever  seems  a  little 
dark,  (though  there  is  no  darkness  in  the  words  before  us,) 
must  be  poetized  into  light ;  so  that  figures  are  introduced, 
not  according  to  the  necessity — the  must  —  of  the  case,  but 
according  to  the  possibility — the  may — of  the  case  ;  —  this 
mingling  together  of  the  literal  and  the  allegorical,  making 
our  Saviour  sometimes  narrate  calmly  like  a  historian,  and 


90  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

then,  with  the  next  breath,  rhapsodize  like  a  poet,  until  no 
man  is  certain  what  is  literal  and  what  figurative  ;  this  is  to 
be  guarded  against  and  deprecated. 

And  it  seemed  appropriate  to  begin  the  labor  at  the  very 
beginning  of  the  figurative  indefiniteness  and  obscurity  which 
too  many  expositors  have  introduced  into  this  plain,  prosaic 
discourse.  Straws  show  which  way  the  current  runs.  And 
if— as  we  have  seen  —  popular  commentators,  without  any 
occasion,  and,  indeed,  against  occasion,  have  developed  such 
a  preference  for  the  figurative,  what  may  we  expect  when  we 
come  to  those  parts  of  the  discourse,  where — from  the  nature 
of  the  subject — it  may  not  be  convenient  to  point  out  the 
chapter  and  verse  of  the  precise  and  literal  fulfillment  ? 
"  There  shall  he  great  earthquakes  in  divers  places" 
A  plain  prediction  of  what  actually  occurred.  Probably 
no  period  of  the  world's  history  was  ever  more  characterized 
by  earthquakes.  It  wras  not  one  wide,  world-affecting  con- 
vulsion, such  as  has  been  known  in  comparatively  recent 
history,  but  a  great  many  distinct  earthquakes ;  — "  earthquakes 
in  divers  places"  at  different  times.  There  is  no  lack  of 
historic  evidence  to  show  that  this  portion  of  the  prophecy 
was  literally  and  strictly  fulfilled.  Josephus  gives  an  account 
of  a  terrible  one  that  happened  just  before  the  war  with  the 
Romans.  (War,  B.  4,  c.  4.)  "There  broke  out  a  prodigious 
storm  in  the  night,  with  the  utmost  violence,  and  very  strong 
winds,  with  the  largest  showers  of  rain,  with  continual  light- 
nings, terrible  thunderings,  and  amazing  concussions  and 
bellowings  of  the  earth  that  was  in  an  earthquake"  This  was 
remarkable;  for  earthquakes  are  not  usually  accompanied  by 
such  atmospheric  disturbances.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
frequently,  if  not  generally,  occur  when  the  atmosphere 
seems  unusually  serene.  An  eye  witness  thus  describes  the 
state  of  the  atmosphere  at  the  time  of  the  great  earthquake 
that  destroyed  Lisbon,  in  1755.  "  There  never  was  a  finer 
morning  seen  than  the  1st  of  November ;  the  sun  shone  out  in 
its  full  lustre ;  the  whole  face  of  the  sky  was  perfectly  serene 
and  clear;  and  not  the  least  signal  or  warning  of  that  ap- 
proaching event,  which  has  made  this  once  flou.is.king,  opu- 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  91 

lent,  and  populous  city,  a  scene  of  the  utmost  horror  and 
desolation,  except  only  such  as  served  to  alarm,  but  scarcely 
left  a  moment's  time  to  fly  from  the  general  destruction." 

So  universal  an  earthquake  as  the  one  described  by  Jose- 
phus,  might  well  be  regarded,  as  himself  remarks,  as  "a 
manifest  indication  that  some  destruction  was  coming  upon 
man,  when  the  system  of  the  world  was  put  into  this  disor- 
der ;  and  any  one  would  guess  that  these  wonders  foreshowed 
some  grand  calamities  that  were  coining."  But  the  earth- 
quakes were  to  be  in  "divers  places"  And  so  they  were ; 
they  are  mentioned  as  having  occurred  during  this  period,  at 
Crete,  Smyrna,  Miletus,  Chios,  Samos,  Laodicea,  Pompei, 
Colosse,  Campania,  &c.  ]STot  only  the  Jewish  country  proper, 
but  probably  all  countries  where  they  resided,  were  visited  by 
these  quakings  of  the  earth. 

"  And  fearful  sights,  and  great  signs  shall  then  ~be  from 
heaven" 

The  record  of  the  Jewish  historian  is  so  full  and  ap- 
propriate to  elucidate  the  fulfillment  of  this  prediction, 
that  we  cannot  do  better  than  to  have  his  words  before 
us:  Speaking  of  the  many  false  prophets  and  deceivers, 
and  how  easily  the  people  were  persuaded  to  believe  them, 
and  hope  for  divine  interposition  in  their  behalf,  he  says — 
(War,  B.  6,  c.  5,)  "Thus  were  the  miserable  people  per- 
suaded by  these  deceivers,  and  such  as  belied  God ;  while 
they  did  not  attend  nor  give  credit  to  the  signs  that  were  so 
evident,  and  did  so  plainly  foretell  their  future  desolation ;  but 
like  men  infatuated,  without  eyes  to  see,  or  minds  to  consider, 
did  not  regard  the  denunciations  that  God  made  to  them. 
Thus  there  was  a  star,  resembling  a  sword,  which  stood  over 
the  city,  and  a  comet  that  continued  a  whole  year."  Another 
translator  renders  his  words  thus:  "A  sword  seemed  to 
hang  over  the  city,  or  a  comet  pointing  down  upon  it  for  a 
year,  which  plainly  seemed  to  portend  their  ruin  by  the 
sword."  (Whitby.)  "Thus  also,  before  the  Jews' rebellion, 
and  before  those  commotions  which  preceded  the  war,  when 
the  people  were  come  in  great  crowds  to  the  feast  of  un- 
leavened bread,  ...  at  the  ninth  hour  of  the  night,  so 


92  HARMONY   AND   EPPO8ITION. 

great  a  light  shone  round  the  altar  and  the  holy  house,  that  it 
appeared  to  be  bright-day  time :  which  light  lasted  for  half 
an  hour.  This  light  seemed  to  be  a  good  sign  to  the  un- 
skillful ;  but  was  so  interpreted  by  the  sacred  scribes,  as  to 
portend  those  events  that  followed  immediately  upon  it." 
These  were  indeed  "fearful  sights"  The  " sacred  scribes " 
appear  to  have  considered  that  prodigious  light  about  "  the 
altar  and  the  holy  house,"  as  portending  that  terrible  fire 
which  soon  after  desolated  the  whole.  "At the  same  festival, 
also,  [the  Passover]  a  heifer,  as  she  was  led  by  the  high  priest 
to  be  sacrificed,  brought  forth  a  lamb  in  the  midst  of  the 
temple." 

"Was  this  designed  to  indicate  to  the  blinded  Jews,  that  their 
typical  offering  of  beasts  had  finally  terminated,  as  to  the 
divine  approval,  and  become  fulfilled,  by  bringing  forth  Jesus, 
the  true  Lamb  of  God? 

The  historian  continues  —  "Moreover,  the  eastern  gate  of 
the  inner  court  of  the  temple,  which  was  of  brass,  and  vastly 
heavy,  and  had  been  with  difficulty  shut  by  twenty  men,  and 
rested  upon  a  basis  armed  with  iron,  and  had  bolts  fastened 
very  deep  into  the  firm  floor,  which  was  there  made  of  one 
entire  stone,  was  seen  to  be  opened  of  its  own  accord  about  the 
sixth  hour  of  the  night ! " 

"  Now  those  that  kept  watch  in  the  temple,  came  hereupon 
running  to  the  captain  of  the  temple,  who  came  up  thither, 
and  not  without  great  difficulty  was  able  to  shut  the  gate 
again.  This  also  appeared  to  the  vulgar  to  be  a  very  happy 
prodigy,  as  if  God  did  thereby  open  to  them  the  gate  of 
happiness."  The  "  vulgar,"  as  the  historian  calls  them,  might 
indeed  suppose  this  indicated  the  opening  the  gate  of  happi- 
ness to  them,  for  it  was  the  opening  of  the  gate  that  kept  the 
common  people  out  of  the  inner  court  of  the  temple,  which 
was  appropriated  only  to  the  most  favored  portion  of  the 
Jewish  people. 

"But,"  continues  the  history,  "the  men  of  learning  under- 
stood it,  that  the  security  of  their  holy  house  was  dissolved  of 
its  own  accord ;  and  that  the  gate  was  opened  for  the  advan- 
tage of  their  enemies.  So  these  publicly  declared,  that  the 


.HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  93 

signal  foreshadowed  the  desolation  that  was  coming  upon 
them." 

It  was  at  the  Paschal  feast  that  Jesus,  the  true  Lamb  of 
God,  was  led  forth  to  be  slain,  as  may  have  been  betokened 
by  the  prodigy  of  the  heifer  and  the  lamb ;  and  this  dreadful 
prodigy  of  opening  the  huge  brazen  gate,  happening — it 
seems — at  the  same  feast,  may  have  portended  that  it  would 
also  be  at  the  passover  that  their  enemies  should  succeed  in 
obtaining  the  mastery  over  the  city  and  temple. 

"  Besides  these,"  continues  the  history,  "  a  few  days  after 
that  feast,  on  the  one  and  twentieth  day  of  the  month  Arte- 
inisius,  \Jyar,  second  month  of  the  ecclesiastical  year,]  a  cer- 
tain prodigious  and  incredible  phenomenon  appeared.  I 
suppose  the  account  of  it  would  seem  to  be  a  fable,  were  it 
not  related  by  those  that  saw  it,  and  were  not  the  events  that 
followed  it  of  so  considerable  a  nature  as  to  deserve  such 
signals ;  for,  before  sun-setting,  cJiariots,  and  troops  of  soldiers 
in  their  armor,  were  seen  running  about  among  the  clouds, 
and  surrounding  of  cities  !  " 

"Moreover,  at  the  feast  which  we  call  Pentecost,  as  the 
priests  were  going  by  night  into  the  inner  temple,  as  their 
custom  was,  to  perform  their  sacred  ministrations,  they  said, 
that  in  the  first  place  they  felt  a  quaking,  and  heard  a  great 
noise,  and  after  that  they  heard  a  sound  as  of  a  multitude, 
saying,  LET  us  DEPABT  HENCE  ! " 

"  But  what  is  still  more  terrible,  there  was  one  Jesus,  the 
son  of  Ananus,  a  plebeian  and  a  husbandman,  who,  four  years 
before  the  war  began,  and  at  a  time  when  the  city  was  in 
great  peace  and  prosperity,  came  to  that  feast  whereon  it  is 
our  custom  for  every  one  to  make  tabernacles  to  God  in  the 
temple,  began  on  a  sudden  to  cry  aloud,  A  voice  from  the 
east !  A  voice  from  the  west !  A  voice  from  the  four  winds  ! 
A  voice  against  Jerusalem  and  the  holy  house !  A  voice 
against  the  bridegrooms  and  the  brides !  A  voice  against  the 
whole  people ! " 

This  voice  was  heard  by  day  and  by  night  through  the 
city.  No  persuasion  or  punishment  could  stop  his  cry.  When 
they  whipped  him  until  his  bones  were  bare,  he  did  not  shed 


94:  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

tears  or  make  any  complaint,  but,  with  every  stroke  of  the 
lash,  uttered  Woe,  woe,  woe  to  Jerusalem !  This  lamentable 
and  wonderful  voice  continued  for  seven  years  and  five 
months,  and  was  always  heard  loudest  at  the  festivals.  No 
wonder  that  it  was  heard  with  discomfort  and  horror. 

Verse  8.     ALL  THESE  ARE  THE  BEGINNING  OF  SORROWS. 

But  what  could  be  worse  than  the  terrors  and  sorrows 
already  described?  Answer — The  wars  and  rumors  of  wars, 
not  hecv)*d  of  merely,  but  actually  present,  witnessed,  and 
suffered,  with  all  their  varied  horrors.  In  particular,  the  inva- 
sion of  their  own  country  with  fire  and  sword,  until  blood 
and  blaze  should  be  the  every-day,  and  the  everywhere  scenes 
throughout  their  whole  territory. 

And  more  especially,  the  unparalleled  famine,  confusion, 
and  carnage  that  characterized  the  siege  of  their  capital  city. 
The  fulfillment  of  the  portentous  omens  would  be  more  terri- 
ble than  the  signs  themselves.  The  intolerable  ravages  of 
the  fatal  disease  would  be  worse  than  the  premonitory 
symptoms. 

The  faithful  and  but  too  particular  narration  of  these  "  sor- 
rows," as  witnessed  by  one  who  lived  and  suffered  in  the 
midst  of  them,  cannot  be  read  by  any  person  of  common 
sensibility,  without  being  deeply  and  painfully  affected. 

Dr.  Clarke's  note  on  this  verse  is  very  ingenious  and  im- 
pressive :  "  The  whole  land  of  Judea  is  represented  under 
the  notion  of  a  woman  in  grievous  travail ;  but  our  Lord  inti- 
mates that  all  that  had  already  been  mentioned,  were  only 
the  first  pangs  and  throes,  and  nothing  in  comparison  of  that 
hard  and  death-bringing  labor  which  should  afterwards  take 
place." 

All  that  has  hitherto  been  described,  however,  pertains  to 
the  period  previous  to  the  final  siege  of  Jerusalem.  And 
here  our  Lord  leaves,  for  the  present,  the  prediction  of  the 
Jewish  calamities,  that  he  may  return  and  recapitulate  the 
sufferings  of  his  disciples.  Let  this  be  distinctly  noticed  by 
the  reader. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Principal  subject — SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRISTIANS  PREVIOUSLY 
TO  THE  SIEGE  OF  JERUSALEM. 

Correction  of  the  Record  —  Illustrations — Beginning  of  the  Persecution  — 
Progress — Saul  of  Tarsus — Different  forms  of  Jewish  persecution  —  Per- 
secution by  others  —  Chronological  accuracy  of  the  Prophecy — Persecution 
overruled  for  good — Why  the  Jews  persecuted — Why  the  Heathen — Pe- 
ter before  the  Sanhedrim  —  Stephen  —  Paul  before  the  Rulers  —  God's 
design  in  permitting  Persecution — Good  result  of  the  Appeal  to  Csesar  — 
Comfort  in  suffering  —  Why  forbidden  to  premeditate  —  Perversion  of  a 
text — When  we  may,  and  when  we  may  not,  premeditate — What  is  meant 
by  Taking  no  thought — Nature  of  Apostolic  Inspiration  —  What  is  meant 
by  giving  them  a  Mouth  and  Wisdom — •  Examples  —  Curious  way  to  resist 
Logic — An  Orator  in  Chains — Beginning  of  Apostacy  in  the  Church  — 
Treachery  —  Progress  of  Apostacy  —  Terrible  Result  —  Pattern  Age  of  the 
Church — The  World  and  the  Church  at  variance — What  is  meant  by  not 
a  Hair  of  the  head  perishing  —  How  to  possess  our  souls  in  Patience. 

[Luke :  BUT  BEFORE  ALL  THESE,  THEY  SHALL  LAY  THEIK  HANDS  ON  YOU,  AND  PEB- 
BECUTE  YOU.]  [Mark  :  BUT  TAKE  HEED  TO  YOURSELVES.] 

OUR  Lord  deemed  it  expedient  to  speak  first  of  the  afflic- 
tions of  the  Jews  generally  ;  and — as  previously  noted  —  he 
extended  his  description  to  the  siege  of  Jerusalem.  * 

When  he  resumed  the  subject,  as  at  v.  15,  he  began  with 
the  fatal  siege.  Having  thus  far  spoken  of  the  Jews  as  a 
people,  he  returns  to  the  beginning  of  the  period  then  under 
consideration,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  condition  of 
Christians  during  the  same  time. 

" But  before  all  these,  they  shall  lay  their  hands  on  you" 

"We  perceive  the  importance  of  supplying  a  sentence  that 
was  omitted  by  Matthew.  If  we  take  the  prophecy  as  it  is 
preserved  only  by  him,  it  would  teach  that  the  persecution  of 
the  disciples  would  not  begin  until  that  period  of  general 
tribulation  was  ended,  which  would  be  incorrect.  The  sen- 
tence from  Luke  removes  the  difficulty,  as  may  be  seen  in  the 
Harmony.  The  persecution  of  the  Christians  did  indeed 


96  HASMONY   AOT>   EXPOSITION. 


begin  "before  all  these"  Jewish  calamities.  While  Jesus 
was  with  them,  as  when  the  bridegroom  is  with  the  children 
of  the  bridal  chamber,  they  were  kept  in  security  and  joy. 
But  when  he  was  taken  away,  as  when  the  bridegroom  de- 
parts, there  was  sadness  and  fasting.  The  persecutors,  having 
so  well  succeeded  with  the  Master  of  the  house,  then  began 
to  afflict  his  servants.  The  green  tree  had  been  scorched  by 
their  naming  madness  ;  what  could  prevent  the  dry  tree  from 
being  consumed  ?  And  the  persecutors  were  not  willing  to 
wait  long  before  they  made  a  beginning  :  within  a  few  weeks 
after  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus,  they  began  to  hunger  for  the 
flesh  of  the  disciples. 

"  They  shall  lay  their  hands  on  you" 

They  shall  apprehend  you,  and  bring  you  up  to  answer  for 
your  proceedings.  This  was  immediately  done  in  the  case  of 
Peter  and  John,  Acts  iv.  1.  "  And  as  they  spake  unto  the 
people,  the  priests,  and  the  captain  of  the  temple,  and  the 
Sadducees,  came  upon  them.  2.  Being  grieved  that  they 
taught  the  people,  and  preached  through  Jesus  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  3.  And  they  laid  their  hands  on  them,  and 
put  them  in  hold  until  the  next  day."  This  laying  hands 
upon  them  was  not  only  persecution  of  itself,  but  it  had  an 
ulterior  design, 

"  And  persecute  you" 

This  was  the  ulterior  object.  They  wished  to  get  these 
leading  disciples  into  their  power,  that  they  might  still 
further  afflict  them.  On  that  first  occasion,  however,  they 
were  restrained  from  inflicting  anything  very  severe.  They 
"  straightly  threatened  them,"  and  let  them  go. 

"  But  take  heed  to  yourselves" 

It  is  necessary  to  be  on  your  guard.  Be  wise  as  serpents, 
for  you  are  as  sheep  among  wolves.  Your  enemies  will  not 
cease  to  pursue  you.  They  may  indeed  but  simply  lay  their 
hands  on  you  at  the  first,  and  persecute  you  in  this  milder 
way.  But  take  heed  to  yourselves  ;  and  do  not  unnecessarily 
incur  danger  ;  your  enemies  will  not  be  satisfied  with  merely 
apprehending  you  :  Do  not  trust  present  appearances. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION  97 

Verse  9.     THEN  SHALL  THEY  DELIVER  YOU  UP  [TO  COUNCILS,]  [Luke :  TO  THE 

SYNAGOGUES,  AND  INTO  PRISONS,]  TO  BE  AFFLICTED. 

How  soon  was  this  accomplished !  A  few  days  after  this, 
as  the  apostles  were  teaching  and  healing,  Acts  v.  IT,  "  Then 
the  high  priest  rose  up,  and  all  they  that  were  with  him, 
(which  is  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees,)  and  were  filled  with 
indignation ;  18.  And  laid  their  hands  on  the  apostles,  and 
put  them  in  the  conr.non  prison."  As  yet,  however,  they  had 
not  been  delivered  up  formally  to  the  council.  But,  having 
been  liberated  by  the  interposition  of  an  angel,  and  directed 
to  go  and  preach  in  the  temple,  they  were  once  more  appre- 
hended, v.  27.  "  And  when  they  had  brought  them,  they  set 
them  before  the  council"  There  was  still  another  thing  to  be 
fulfilled,  besides  the  arrest,  and  arraignment,  and  imprisoning ; 
they  were  next  in  order 

"  To  be  afflicted." 

Here  it  follows :  v.  40.  "  And  to  him  [Gamaliel]  they 
agreed ;  and  when  they  had  called  the  apostles,  and  beaten 
them,  they  .  .  let  them  go.  41.  And  they  departed  from 
the  presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they  were  counted 
worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  name."  They  were  probably 
beaten  naked.  This  was  the  beginning  of  their  being  "  afflict- 
ed" for  the  sake  of  their  Master.  The  "wolves"  among 
whom  these  "  sheep"  had  been  sent,  having  once  tasted  their 
blood,  will  hardly  let  them  escape. 

"  And  in  the  synagogues  ye  shall  le  beaten" 

Here  is  the  date  of  Saul's  persecution.  It  was  at  his  feet 
that  the  murderers  of  Stephen  laid  their  clothes.  He  was 
already  distinguished  among  the  people  for  his  eminence  in 
the  matter  of  making  "  havoc  in  the  church."  "  And  Saul 
was  consenting  unto  his  death."  "  When  they  were  put  to 
death  he  gave  his  voice  against  them"  Even  so  early  was 
his  influence  in  this  matter  felt  and  confessed. 

And  what  was  Saul's  method  of  persecution  ?  Acts  xxvi. 
10.  "  And  many  of  the  saints  did  I  shut  up  in  prison,  hav- 
ing received  authority  from  the  chief  priests  ;  and  when  they 
were  put  to  death,  I  gave  my  voice  against  them  11.  And 

7 

r^ 


98  HAKMONT   AOT>  EXPOSITION. 

I  punished  them  oft  in  every  synagogue,  and  compelled  them 
to  blaspheme." 

How  many  of  the  disciples  suffered  in  this  way,  as  "  Saul 
made  havoc  of  the  church,  entering  into  every  house,  and 
haling  men  and  women,  committing  them  to  prison,"  has  never 
been  recorded.  And  how  many  times  of  punishing  in  the 
synagogues  is  intended  by  this  word  "  oft,"  we  are  not 
apprised ;  but  being  "  exceeding  mad"  against  the  disciples, 
and  having  "  authority  from  the  chief  priests,"  and  thinking 
that  he  was  "  doing  God  service,"  it  is  safe  to  suppose  that 
the  numbers  "  beaten  in  the  synagogues,"  were  large. 

It  is  not  intended  to  intimate  here  that  the  persecution  of 
Saul  was  all  previous  to  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen,  but  only 
that  he  had  already  begun  his  cruel  work  at  that  time,  and 
continued  for  some  time  after.  And  Saul  himself,  when  he 
became  an  apostle,  understood  experimentally  the  sufferings 
which  he  had  inflicted  upon  others ;  and  came  in  for  his  own 
share  of  the  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy,  which  at  first  he 
helped  to  fulfill  upon  others.  2.  Cor.  xi.  24.  "  Of  the  Jews 
five  times  received  I  forty  stripes,  save  one."  Besides  the 
beatings  and  stripes  otherwise  mentioned,  we  learn  by  this 
that  at  five  different  times  he  received  the  full  measure  of 
blows  permitted  by  the  Jewish  law.  It  was  undoubtedly  in 
the  synagogues. 

"  And  shall  Tdll  you" 

This  was  the  next  thing  in  order.  "What  was  the  next 
event  in  the  fulfillment  ?  Answer  —  The  'killing  of  Stephen, 
under  the  superintendence  of  this  persecuting  Saul  of  Tarsus ! 
And  now  the  various  forms  of  persecution  which  the  Saviour 
predicted,  have  all  occurred  in  their  respective  orders,  from 
laying  hands  upon,  through  arraignment  before  councils, 
imprisoning,  beating  in  the  synagogues,  and  killing.  A 1  this 
was  Jewish  ;  and  was  done  regularly,  or  irregularly,  accord- 
ing to  the  customs  of  the  councils  of  the  synagogues  and  the 
great  council  at  the  capital. 

But  shall  the  persecution  extend  no  further  ?    Answer — 

"  And  ye  shall  be  brought  before  rulers  and  kings  for  my 
take." 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  99 

The  scene  is  now  to  be  shifted  from  Jewish  judicatures  to 
the  magistracy  of  rulers  and  kings.  The  murderers  of  the 
Master,  who  succeeding  in  enlisting  against  him  the  power 
of  their  heathen  governor,  will  soon  manifest  their  pleasure  at 
the  havoc  made  among  the  disciples.  Henceforth,  those  who 
delight  in  cruelty,  or  who  wish  to  ingratiate  themselves  with 
the  Jews,  will  understand  how  to  proceed.  The  prediction 
is  before  us  ;  now  for  the  fulfillment :  Acts  xii.  1.  "  Now 
about  that  time,  Herod  the  Icing  stretched  forth  his  hands  to 
vex  certain  of  the  church.  2.  And  he  killed  James  the 
brother  of  John  with  the  sword.  3.  And  because  he  saw  it 
pleased  the  Jews,  he  proceeded  further  to  take  Peter  also. 
Then  were  the  days  of  unleavened  bread.  4.  And  when  he 
had  apprehended  him,  he  put  him  in  prison,  and  delivered 
him  to  four  quaternians  of  soldiers  to  keep  him ;  intending 
after  Easter  to  bring  him  forth  to  the  people." 

Soon  we  find  Paul  and  Silas  at  Philippi,  suffering  a  perse- 
cution arising  from  the  cure  of  the  wonderful  Pythoness. 
Do  we  inquire  concerning  the  nature  of  the  judicature 
before  which  they  were  brought?  Answer — Acts  xvi.  19, 
"  And  they  caught  Paul  and  Silas,  and  drew  them  into  the 
market  place  unto  the  rulers.  20.  And  brought  them  to  the 
magistrates"  Bangs  and  rulers  were  next  in  order  after 
councils.  Omniscient  Wisdom  knew  how  to  frame  the  proph- 
ecy. The  next  persecution  was  that  in  which  "  they  drew 
Jason  and  certain  brethren  unto  the  rulers  of  the  city." 
Acts  xvii.  6. 

We  shall  soon  find  Paul  brought  up  to  the  "judgment  seat " 
of  Gallio,  the  deputy  governor  of  Achaia.  It  would  be  tire- 
some to  follow  out  much  further  the  fulfillment  of  this  part 
of  the  prediction.  The  magistracy  of  rulers  and  kings  is 
identified  more  or  less  with  the  history  of  the  apostle  to  the 
Gentiles. 

We  shall  find  him  before  Felix,  Festus,  Agrippa,  and  Nero. 
It  has  not  seemed  good  unto  the  Holy  Ghost  to  cause  to  be 
recorded  all  the  particulars  of  the  further  fulfillment  of  these 
words ;  but  from  many  incidental  references,  we  find  the 
matter  went  on. 


100  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

But  why  was  all  this  ?  Was  there  no  divine  power  10 
restrain  ?  Or  did  the  Divine  Being  see  that  good  would 
result  ?  Answer  — • 

" For  my  sake>  for  a  testimony  against  them"  or,  rather, 
for  a  testimony  (sis)  unto  them.  And  this  better  agrees  with 
Luke's  expression — 

"  And  it  shall  turn  to  you  for  a  testimony" 

There  are  just  these  two  ideas  conveyed  in  this  sentence  of 
the  prophecy  ;  (1.)  That  it  would  be  for  the  sake  of  Christ, 
or  on  his  account,  that  they¥.  should  be  thus  dealt  with.  It 
would  not  be  on  account  of  any  evil  found  in  them  ;  or  on 
account  of  any  particular  hatred  that  men  would  feel  toward 
them,  as  individual  persons.  It  would  be  solely  on  account 
of  their  known  and  confessed  attachment  to  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Their  open  and  fearless  proclamation  of  the  Messiahship  of 
Jesus  the  crucified,  would  raise  the  storm  of  indignation  and 
persecution  among  their  own  nation,  and  particularly  among 
the  councillors  and  priesthood  of  the  Jewish  nation.  They 
were  always  first  in  opposition  to  the  Master,  and  they  would 
be  first  in  persecution  of  his  disciples.  They  hated  to  be 
charged  with  the  rejection  and  murder  of  one  whom  the 
apostles  proclaimed  every  where  to  be  the  only  true  Christ. 

The  persecution  by  the  Gentiles  would  also  be  for  the  name 
of  Christ,  but  for  reasons  somewhat  different :  one  thing  would 
be,  the  opposition  of  the  apostles  to  the  idolatrous  worship 
and  doctrines  everywhere  prevalent,  and  the  fact,  that  the 
spread  of  Christianity  would  be  seen  to  effect,  proportionally, 
the  downfall  of  idolatry. 

The  worshippers  of  the  great  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  would 
set  all  the  city  in  an  uproar,  on  account  of  this  perceived  op- 
position of  the  new  religion  to  their  old  religion.  Yet,  after 
all,  the  Jews  would  everywhere  be  the  principal  instigators 
of  this  opposition  to  the  name  of  Christ.  They  would  never 
rest  without  doing  what  could  be  done  to  arrest  the  progress 
of  the  new  sect. 

(2.)  The  other  idea  is  this :  their  being  brought  before 
councils,  rulers,  and  kings,  would  be  to  them  opportunities 
for  giving  testimony  to  the  truth.  They  should  be  permitted, 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  101 

and  even  invited,  sometimes^  to  testify  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus. 

Now,  however  much  these  simple  and  apparently  unimport- 
ant and  indefinite  words  may  have  been  overlooked,  they  are, 
in  truth,  among  the  most  important  of  those  found  in  this 
discourse. 

Nothing  less  than  omniscience  could  have  foreseen  these 
two  surprising  facts,  —  that  all  the  persecution  which  the  dis- 
ciples should  suffer,  and  all  the  reasons  for  their  being  brought 
before  the  various  near  at  hand,  and  far  off,  tribunals,  would 
be  in  consequence  of  their  relation  to  a  person  who  had  never 
stepped  beyond  the  limits  of  Palestine,  and  whose  name  was 
hardly  known  beyond  the  boundaries  of  his  own  native  prov- 
ince. 

But  the  other  part  of  the  prediction  is,  if  possible,  still 
more  surprising.  How  exceedingly  improbable  that  those 
persecuted,  despised,  maltreated,  dispersed  followers  of  one 
who  was  crucified  as  a  malefactor,  between  two  thieves,  should, 
by  the  very  efforts  to  silence  them,  stand  up  as  privileged 
ambassadors,  to  say  what  they  chose  to  testify,  before  all 
kinds  of  councils,  and  before  all  kinds  of  rulers,  in  almost  all 
lands !  Has  it  usually  happened  so  ?  "Were  the  victims  of 
the  Inquisition  ever  admitted  to  extraordinary  privileges  be- 
fore their  judges  ?  Were  the  Protestant  martyrs,  whose  blood 
enriched  the  soil  of  England,  entitled  to  special  privileges 
before  their  Romish  rulers  ?  And  have  persecuted  sects 
usually  found  their  judges  disposed  to  listen  to  the  promulga- 
tion of  their  most  abominated  doctrines,  and  keen  reproofs 
and  admonitions? 

But  the  omniscient  Saviour  affirmed  that  both  of  these 
things  would  be  true  respecting  the  arraignment  of  his  per- 
secuted followers. 

How  did  the  matter  result  ? 

The  first  arraignment  was  specifically  on  account  of  oppo- 
sition to  Christ.  When  Peter  and  John  were  arraigned  be- 
fore the  Sanhedrin,  the  reason  is  thus  given :  (Acts  iv.  2,)  the 
priests,  captain  of  the  temple,  and  Sadducees,  were  "  grieved 
that  they  taught  the  people,  and  preached  through  Jesus  the 


102  HAKMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

resurrection  of  the  dead.  3.  And  they  laid  hands  on  them, 
and  put  them  in  hold  unto  the  next  day ;  for  it  was  now  even- 
tide." This  was  on  their  Master's  account.  Did  they  have 
an  opportunity  of  testifying  of  Jesus  there  ?  This  is  the  an- 
swer :  5.  "  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  th  oir 
rulers,  and  elders,  and  scribes,  6.  And  Annas  the  high  priest, 
and  Caiaphas,  and  John,  and  Alexander,  and  as  many  as 
were  of  the  kindred  of  the  high  priest,  were  gathered  together 
at  Jerusalem.  7.  And  when  they  had  set  them  in  the  midst, 
they  asked,  By  what  power,  or  by  what  name  have  ye  done 
this  ?"  [The  miracle  of  curing  the  lame  man.]  8.  "  Then 
Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said  unto  them,  Ye  rulers 
of  the  people  and  elders  of  Israel," — And  then  follows  that 
fearless,  explicit  testimony  of  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus. 
10.  "Be  it  known  unto  you  all,  and  to  all  the  people  of 
Israel,  that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  whom 
ye  crucified,  whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  even  by  him 
doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you  whole.  11.  This  is  the 
stone  which  was  set  at  naught  by  you  builders,  which  is  be- 
come the  head  of  the  corner.  12.  Neither  is  there  salvation 
in  any  other ;  for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved." 

How  this  arraignment  before  this  council  "  turned  to  them 
for  testimony !" 

Peter  could  not  have  obtained  such  an  audience  as  that 
anywhere  else ;  and  nowhere  else  would  such  an  audience 
have  listened  to  such  a  fearless  testimony.  And  who  but  the 
Divine  could  have  foreseen  this  ?  This  illustration  of  the  two 
ideas  in  the  passage  is  given  at  some  length,  merely  as  a  spe- 
cimen of  the  precise  fulfillment  of  this  wonderfully  specific 
prophecy. 

"When  Peter  and  others  were  arraigned  before  the  Sanhe- 
drin  again,  soon  after,  (Acts  v.,)  he  had  another  as  remarkable 
chance  of  testifying  of  Jesus.  And  Stephen  for  a  long  time 
had  the  audience  of  "  all  that  sat  in  the  council,"  while  he 
poured  forth  that  full  torrent  of  testimony,  which  they  per- 
ceived but  too  clearly  was  going  to  prove  Jesus  to  be  the 
Christ.  And  what  an  opportunity  for  testimony  had  Paul 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  103 

before  Felix  and  Brasilia,  and  Festus,  and  Bernice,  and 
Agrippa !  And  what  a  chance  for  testimony  as  he  "  stood  on 
the  stairs"  of  the  theatre  in  Jerusalem,  bound  with  two  chains, 
and  gave  the  discourse  recorded  in  Acts  xxii. ! 

This  idea  of  bearing  testimony — not  against — but  (sts) 
to  councils,  rulers,  and  kings,  is  the  key  that  opens  beautifully 
that  mysterious  providence  which  led  the  primitive  church 
with  her  ministers  through  such  a  succession  of  persecutions. 
"We  may  now  understand  the  meaning  of  those  prisons,  chains, 
indictments,  and  other  sources  of  suffering  and  notoriety, 
which  lifted  the  infant  church  into  eminency,  and  secured  for 
the  fettered  apostles  the  audiences  of  priests,  governors,  coun- 
cilors, kings,  and  queens. 

There  was  much  meaning,  and  comfort,  too,  for  the  perse- 
cuted apostles  in  such  words  as  these :  Acts  xxiii.  11,  "  And 
that  night  following,  the  Lord  stood  by  him,  and  said,  Be  of 
good  cheer,  Paul ;  for  as  thou  hast  testified  of  me  in  Jerusa- 
lem, so  must  thou  ~bear  witness  also  at  JRome." 

These  imprisonments  and  judicial  arraignments  should  be 
occasions  of  testimony. 

"  Caesar's  household  "was  to  be  converted;  and  Paul — not 
Peter — must  be  the  apostle  to  those  Gentiles.  He  had  "  of- 
ten purposed "  to  go  there,  that  he  "  might  have  some  fruit 
among"  them,  but  "  was  let  [hindered]  hitherto."  Paul  in 
Rome,  in  the  capacity  of  an  apostle,  could  probably  do  less  in 
giving  testimony  for  Christ,  than  Paul  the  prisoner,  waiting 
the  convenience  of  the  emperor,  under  the  protection  of  the 
emperor,  and  dwelling  for  "  two  whole  years  in  his  own  hired 
house,  receiving  all  that  came  in  unto  him,  preaching  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  teaching  those  things  which  concern 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  all  confidence,  no  man  forbidding 
him."  Acts  xxviii.  30,  31.  Therefore  Paul  was  moved  to 
"  appeal  unto  Caesar." 

But,  in  relation  to  this  being  all  for  the  name  and  sake  of 
Christ,  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that,  on  the  part  of  the  apos- 
tles, it  was  in  a  sense  far  different  from  what  it  was  on  the 
part  of  the  persecutors :  with  the  enemies  it  was  on  account 
of  enmity,  that  they  might  distress  and  destroy ;  but  with  the 


104 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


friends  it  was  on  account  of  friendship,  that  they  might  tes- 
tify for  Christ,  and  establish  his  religion.  They  were  not  slow 
to  perceive  the  advantages  their  persecutions  gained  them, 
not  on  account  of  sympathy  only,  but  also  on  account  of 
privilege  in  giving  testimony  for  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 
God  made  the  wrath  of  men  to  praise  him.  This  must  have 
contributed  much  to  comfort  and  sustain  those  who  suffered 
for  the  truth's  sake.  They  "  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their 
goods,"  and  rejoiced  that  "  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suf- 
fer for  his  name."  Paul  well  understood  this  matter  of  per- 
secution and  suffering  for  his  Master ;  Acts,  chapters  xx., 
xxiii.,  xxiv.,  wnich  see. 

[Mark :  BUT  WHEN  THEY  SHALL  LEAD  YOU,  AND  DELIVER  YOU  UP,  TAKE  NO  THOUGHT 

BEFORE  HAND  WHAT  YE  SHALL  SPEAK;    NEITHER  DO  YE  PREMEDITATE;   BUT  WHATSOEVER 
SHALL  BE  GIVEN  YOU  IN  THAT  HOUR,  THAT  SPEAK  YE.] 

Our  Saviour  did  not  design  this  direction  for  application  to 
all  persons,  and  all  circumstances:  it  was  a  specific  instruc- 
tion for  a  specific  circumstance  /  namely — when  they  should 
be  led  and  delivered  up  to  councils,  rulers,  and  kings,  as  be- 
fore described,  and  for  the  purpose  aforesaid.  Then,  in  that 
particular  case,  they  were  not  to  depend  upon  their  own  pre- 
meditated thoughts  either  for  testimony  or  defence ;  but  to 
look  for  such  especial  enlightenment  and  guidance  as  no  pre- 
meditations of  their  own  could  secure. 

It  is,  therefore,  a  manifest  perversion  of  this  passage,  to 
apply  it  to  ordinary  pulpit  and  private  teaching,  as  if  the 
Lord  designed  to  discourage  and  prohibit  prudent  premedita- 
tion and  systematic  arrangement  of  thoughts,  in  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances. No  man  that  loves  to  think  systematically,  and 
few  that  are  capable  of  thinking  so,  will  need  these  disclaim- 
ers against  a  somewhat  common  perversion  of  this  passage. 
But  it  is  well  to  do  everything  practicable  for  the  purity  and 
propriety  of  the  exegesis  and  application  of  the  Scriptures. 

No  doubt  but  in  many  instances  too  much  dependence  is 
placed  upon  our  previous  meditations,  and  too  little  upon  the 
timely  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  these  ordinary  labors 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  105 

were  not  the  subject  of  the  Saviour's  present  admonition.  A 
very  plain  rule  may  be  suggested  as  a  general  guide  in  this 
matter : 

(1.)  What  is  already  understood,  or  may  reasonably  be  ex- 
pected, in  relation  to  future  circumstances,  may  be  made  a 
subject  of  premeditative  preparation. 

(2.)  But  what  we  cannot  know,  or  reasonably  anticipate, 
of  the  future,  and  yet  must  meet, — in  this  we  must  leave  it 
to  Providence  to  order  and  assist. 

This  latter  was  the  usual  circumstance  under  which  the  dis- 
ciples were  brought  before  rulers  and  kings.  The  former  is 
the  usual  circumstance  attending  our  ordinary  labors. 

In  these  sudden,  ever-varying,  and  uncertain  trials  and  ar- 
raignments before  the  different  tribunals,  no  human  fore- 
thought could  be  sufficient  to  guide  in  matters  of  propriety 
and  necessity ;  and  premeditations  and  plans  would  only  em- 
barrass their  adaptation  to  the  unanticipated  circumstances, 
and  withdraw  their  trust  in  direct  and  special  divine  assistance. 

They  were  directed  to  "  take  no  thought"  before  hand,  just 
as  Christ  had  said  respecting  food  and  raiment,  "take  no 
thought  for  the  morrow."  Now,  it  is  admitted  by  all  who 
have  examined  the  word,  in  reference  to  its  original  force, 
that  it  means  something  more  than  mere  intellection  ;  it  con- 
veys an  idea  of  feeling  as  well  as  cogitation  :  it  is  the  same 
word  that  Christ  used  in  his  address  to  the  half-distracted 
Martha :  " Thou  are  careful"  &c.  Luke  x.  41. 

The  spirit  of  the  Lord's  admonition  to  his  apostles  was 
about  this  :  Do  not  be  troubled  or  anxious  about  what  you 
shall  say  on  these  occasions.  Do  not  let  it  worry  and  distress 
you.  Go,  trusting  in  the  guidance  and  support  of  the  Master, 
for  whose  sake  all  this  is  done  and  permitted.  There  was 
great  wisdom  in  such  an  admonition  : 

(1.)  It  would  serve  greatly  to  relieve  the  anxieties  of  the 
disciples,  in  these  most  trying  circumstances. 

(2.)  It  would  keep  ever  before  them  the  only  real  and  re- 
liable source  of  direction  and  support. 

(3.)  And,  consequently,  going  in  this  spirit,  and  divinely 
led  and  strengthened,  their  testimony  would  have  a  freshness, 


106  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

an  adaptation,  and  a  power,  that  could  not  be  secured  in  any- 
other  manner. 

"  But  whatsoever  shall  l)e  given  you  in  that  hour,  that  speak 

W" 

Here  is  the  promise  of  assistance  implied.  They  were  to 
expect  assistance  from  another ;  it  was  to  be  given  to  them. 
This  is  why  they  ought  not  to  be  troubled  about  the  matter 
before  hand.  They  were  to  speak  whatsoever  should  be  given 
them.  Their  words  were  to  be  given  them ;  and  they  would 
be  aided  in  addressing  them  to  the  people.  They  were  to  go 
before  such  judicatures,  expecting  to  be  plenarily  inspired  for 
the  exigencies  of  the  time. 

'    \Luke  :    FOR  I  WILL  GIVE  YOU  A  MOUTH  AND  WISDOM,  WHICH  ALL  YOUR  ADVERSA- 
RIES SHALL  NOT  BE  ABLE  TO  GAINSAY  OR  RESIST.] 

Here  is  the  promise  of  assistance  given  in  due  form.  Their 
wisdom  should  be  given  them ;  they  should  be  enabled  to 
understand  and  to  calculate  on  the  spot,  so  as  to  accomplish 
what  their  adversaries  could  not  prevent.  Sometimes  they 
should  be  enlightened  with  respect  to  the  past ;  sometimes 
with  respect  to  the  future  ;  and  they  should  know  how  to 
adapt  themselves  to  all  the  circumstances  attending  their 
arraignment. 

Their  "  mouth  "  should  be  given  them.  Their  very  organs 
of  speech  should  seem  to  be  new ;  and  would,  indeed,  be 
newly  empowered  to  speak  with  the  greatest  propriety  and 
force  the  words  which  should  be  given  them.  As  the  result 
of  this  special  endowment,  their  adversaries  should  neither  be 
able  to  gainsay  nor  resist  their  testimony. 

How  wonderfully  was  this  accomplished !  Turn  to  Acts  iv., 
and  see  the  blazing  testimony,  and  the  scorching  reproofs,  of 
John  and  Peter  before  the  great  council  that  had  condemned 
their  Master.  And  notice  the  result :  verse  13,  "  Now,  when 
they  saw  the  boldness  of  Peter  and  John,  and  perceived  that 
they  were  unlearned  and  ignorant  men,  they  marveled ;  and- 
took  knowledge  of  them,  that  they  had  ~been  with  Jesus.  14.  And 
beholding  the  man  standing  with  them,  they  could  say  noth- 
ing against  it" 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  10T 

When  Stephen  was  set  upon  unexpectedly  by  the  cavilers 
and  disputers  of  the  synagogues  of  the  Libertines,  Cyrenians, 
Alexandrians,  Cilicians,  and  Asiatics,  (Acts  vi.  9,)  it  is  said, 
notwithstanding  the  odds  against  him,  "  And  they  were  not 
able  to  resist  the  wisdom  and  the  spirit  by  which  he  spake." 
And  when  he  was  suddenly  brought  before  the  great  council, 
his  speech  was  so  irresistible,  that  legal  pleading  and  logic 
could  not  ]be  depended  upon  to  gainsay  or  resist  it ;  and  the 
readiest  way  to  overthrow  it,  was,  to  kill  the  irresistible 
preacher.  So  long  as  he  was  alive,  and  had  a  mouth  to  speak, 
so  long  they  knew  it  was  hopeless  to  resist  him  But  a  dead 
man  was  not  so  formidable ;  so  they  overwhelmed  him  with 
a  shower  of  stones. 

See  how  the  infamous  Felix  was  made  to  tremble,  as  Paul 
stood  before  him  in  chains,  inspired  to  utter  terrible  things 
which  could  not  be  gainsayed  or  resisted.  Acts  xxiv.  24. 
"And  after  certain  days,  when  Felix  came  with  his  wife 
Drusilla,  which  was  a  Jewess,  he  sent  for  Paul,  and  heard  him 
concerning  the  faith  in  Christ.  25.  And  as  he  reasoned  of 
righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to  come,  Felix  trem- 
bled, and  answered,  [it  was  all  the  answer  he  could  make,]  Go 
thy  way  for  this  time." 

Take  Paul's  speech  before  King  Agrippa,  and  the  august 
assembly  convened  to  hear  him,  and  notice  the  effect.  Acts 
xxvi.  The  prisoner  stood  up  in  chains,  and  gave  one  of  the 
most  eloquent,  appropriate,  and  affecting  speeches  that  ever 
fell  from  human  lips.  It  was  a  most  happy  specimen  of  Gos- 
pel testimony.  After  overwhelming,  and  almost  converting, 
the  king,  the  conclusion  of  the  scene  is  thus  stated,  v.  31 : 
"  And  when  they  were  gone  aside,  they  talked  between  them- 
selves, saying,  This  man  doeth  nothing  worthy  of  death  or 
of  bonds.  32.  Then  said  Agrippa  unto  Festus,  This  man 
might  have  been  set  at  liberty,  if  he  had  not  appealed  unto 
Caesar." 

The  world  might  be  safeiy  challenged  to  show  a  single  clear 
instance  in  which  the  primitive  disciples  were  found  incom- 
petent to  defend  themselves  and  their  Master  before  any  of 
the  councils  and  rulers  of  that  age. 


108  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

But  whence  the  wisdom  and  words  which  proved  adequate 
for  all  emergencies  ? 

[Mark :  FOR  IT  is  NOT  YE  THAT  SPEAK,  BUT  THE  HOLY  GHOST.] 

This  is  the  explanation.  When  these  men  stood  up  to  give 
testimony,  they  were  more  than  men ;  they  had  a  portion  of 
the  Divinity.  How  astonishingly  was  this  fulfilled  at  Pente- 
cost !  There  were  promised  to  them  a  "  mouth  and  wisdom," 
in  order  to  qualify  them  for  every  unexpected  emergency. 
"When  the  whole  Jewish  world  was  represented  at  Jerusalem, 
the  fulfillment  of  the  prediction  was  to  begin,  and  to  be  man- 
ifested unto  the  world.  Acts  ii.  4.  "  And  they  were  all  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues, 
as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance."  And  in  all  the  multitude 
of  dialects  they  spake  of  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  But, 
in  relation  to  the  wisdom  and  words,  it  was  not  themselves 
that  spake,  but  the  Holy  Ghost  speaking  by  them.  The  apos- 
tles well  understood  the  nature  and  source  of  this  astonishing 
endowment.  They  knew  how  to  explain  the  wonderful  phe- 
nomenon :  verse  33,  "  He  [Christ]  hath  shed  forth  this  that 
ye  now  see  and  hear." 

How  distinct  the  prediction  !  How  undeniable  the  fulfill- 
ment !  As  far  as  Luke's  history  of  the  Apostles  extends,  it 
seems  to  be  a  comment  upon  the  Saviour's  prophetic  discourse. 

Verse  10.  AND  THEN  SHALL  MANY  BE  OFFENDED,  AND  SHALL  BETRAY  ONE  ANOTHER, 

AND  SHALL  HATE  ONE  ANOTHER. 

Many  will  be  scandalized.  The  new  "sect "  will  be  "  eve- 
rywhere spoken  against."  The  chief  men  and  rulers  giving 
the  example  and  encouragement  in  persecution,  those  who 
wish  to  gain  or  retain  their  favor,  and  those  who  think  only 
as  they  are  taught  by  their  superiors,  will  join  in  the  popular 
hue  and  cry  against  the  unpopular  sect. 

Many  will  thereby  become  disaffected.  Their  attachment 
to  the  new  religion  will  cost  them  their  good  name,  their  tem- 
poral prosperity,  their  social  enjoyment,  and,  in  some  cases,  it 
will  cost  even  liberty  and  life. 

This  will  be  sacrificing  too  much ;  more  than  they  have 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  109 

faith  to  endure.  Many  will  therefore  be  offended  ;  they  will 
stumble  at  these  impediments,  and  fall  from  their  steadfastness 
in  Christ. 

And  the  offence  will  be  so  grievous,  that,  in  many  instances, 
treachery  and  hatred  will  succeed  in  the  place  of  confidence 
and  love.  Those  who  had  pleasantly  and  familiarly  associa- 
ted together,  each  leading  on  and  strengthening  the  other, 
will  now  have  their  feelings  so  set  against  one  another  as  to 
"  bet/ray "  one  another.  Perhaps  the  kindly  influences  that 
had  been  mutually  exerted  to  induce  one  another  to  espouse 
and  maintain  the  new  religion,  would  now  appear  as  a  ma- 
licious effort  to  draw  them  into  a  religion  of  shame,  anxiety, 
and  danger.  To  mutual  confidence  will  succeed  mutual 
treachery  ;  and  they  shall  "  betray  one  anotTier"  The  warm- 
est love  will  then  give  place  to  the  deepest  hatred.  The  union 
and  confidence  of  heart  will  be  transformed  into  jealousy  and 
maliciousness. 

Those  engaged  in  making  havoc  of  the  church  will  not  fail 
to  perceive  and  improve  this  most  unhappy  result,  for  the  fur- 
therance of  their  cruel  designs.  These  embittered  and  alien- 
ated brethren  will  be  used  to  hunt  out  and  accuse  their  former 
companions :  "  they  shall  betray  one  another." 

We  may  find  a  record  of  the  fact,  which  will  answer  as  a 
specimen,  in  the  account  which  Tacitus  gives  of  this  pro- 
cedure, in  the  persecution  under  Nero :  "  At  first  several 
were  seized,  who  confessed,  and  then,  by  their  discovery,  a 
great  multitude  of  others  were  convicted  and  executed." 
Annal.  i.  15. 

There  are  frequent  references  to  this  melancholy  state  of 
things  in  the  history  and  writings  of  St.  Paul.  See  Acts  xx., 
29,  30,  2  Tim.  i.  15,  iv.  10,  14.  It  was  thus  that  he  was  "in 
perils  among  false  brethren." 

[Mark :  THE  BROTHER  SHALL  BETRAY  THE  BROTHER  TO  DEATH,  AND  THE  FATHER  THE 

BON ;  AND  CHILDREN  SHALL  RISE  UP  AGAINST  THEIR  PARENTS,  AND  CAUSE  THEM  TO  BE 
PUT  TO  DEATH.] 

This  is  not  only  a  more  particular  description  of  this  time 
of  trial  to  the  church,  but  it  appears  also  to  show  an  extension 


110  HARMON?    AND   EXPOSITION. 

of  the  disaffection,  until  not  only  the  ecclesiastical,  but  even 
all  the  social  relations  shall  be  disturbed,  and  families  be  at  war 
among  themselves.  And  now  will  be  fulfilled  not  only  what 
Christ  himself  predicted  on  another  occasion,  (Matt.  x.  34,) 
but  what  was  long  before  prophesied  by  an  Old  Testament 
seer.  See  Micah  vii.  6. 

How  intense  must  have  been  the  alienation  that  caused  the 
nearest  and  dearest  natural  relations  to  betray  one  another 
even  to  death !  What  terrible  afflictions  to  the  church,  and 
what  trial  of  faith,  when  parents  against  children,  and  chil- 
dren against  parents,  and  brother  against  brother,  should  be 
maliciously  excited,  and  cause  one  another  to  be  put  to  death ! 

Through  such  fires  as  these  were  the  primitive  disciples  re- 
quired to  pass,  as  the  church  was  enlarging  herself,  and  estab- 
lishing her  doctrines,  government,  and  worship,  that  the  dross 
might  be  purged  away  from  the  pure  gold,  and  that  the  pat- 
tern age  of  the  true  church  might  be  an  age  of  tested,  puri- 
fied, and  duly  developed  faith  and  love. 

These  were  times  when  they  "  endured  a  great  fight  of  af- 
flictions," that  the  church  in  all  subsequent  ages  might  have 
before  her  "  examples  of  suffering,  affliction  and  patience." 
This  was  the  time  of  "  the  present  distress,"  when  Christians 
were  called  to  show  whether  they  loved  their  master  better 
than  houses,  lands,  parents,  companions,  and  life. 

(Remainder  of)  Verse  9.  AND  YE  SHALL  BE  HATED  OF  ALL  NATIOXS  FOE  MT 
NAME'S  SAKE. 

By  noticing  Mark,  verse  12,  it  will  be  seen  that  these  words 
are  to  follow  the  account  of  these  afflictions ;  and  by  Luke, 
verse  18,  we  learn  that  these  words  are  to  precede  the  reference 
to  the  hair  of  the  head  not  being  suffered  to  perish.* 

It  is  thus  that  we  prove  not  only  the  transposition,  but  find 
the  appropriate  place  for  this  sentence. 

And  it  may  as  well  be  remarked  here,  that  all  the  trans- 
positions exhibited  in  the  Harmony  are  settled  by  definite 
reasons. 

This  persecution  and  alienation  will  not  be  limited  to  any 

*See  the   Harmony. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  Ill 

particular  section ;  it  will  be  general.  The  church  every- 
where must  pass  through  this  fiery  furnace.  It  will  be  the 
world  against  the  church,  and  the  church  against  the  world. 

The  faithful  disciples  must  be  "  crucified  unto  the  world," 
and  the  world  "  crucified"  unto  them.  The  "  offence  of  the 
cross"  will  be  great  everywhere.  The  preaching  of  Christ 
will  be  a  "  stumbling  block  unto  the  Jews,  and  to  the  Greeks 
foolishness."  Then  "  all  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus 
shall  suffer  persecution,"  no  matter  where  they  happen  to 
dwell.  The  world  hated  Christ,  and  he  told  his  disciples  not 
to  marvel  if  the  world  hated  them  also.  Now  was  it  fully 
accomplished.  If  they  had  been  of  the  world,  the  world 
would  have  loved  its  own  ;  but  because  they  were  not  of  the 
world,  but  had  been  chosen  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
world  hated  them.  And  this  extended  to  all  nations,  Jews 
and  Gentiles.  In  this  place,  however,  it  seems  to  allude  more 
particularly  to  the  Gentile  nations :  the  hatred  of  the  Jews,being 
first  in  order,  was  more  particularly  described  previously. 

It  is  wonderful  how  systematic  and  precise  our  Saviour  was 
in  this  prophecy.  He  pays  particular  attention  to  the  succes- 
sive order  in  which  the  many  things  would  transpire.  He  did 
not  speak  of  their  being  "  hated  of  all  nations,"  until  he  had 
first  described  how  they  would  become  Jmown  to  all  nations, 
by  being  brought  before  rulers  and  kings.  And  this  hatred 
of  the  nations  would  be  on  the  same  account  as  that  of  the 
Jews;  it  would  be  "for  his  name's  sake."  And  how  was 
this?  Simply  because  "for  his  name's  sake"  they  should  be 
brought  before  rulers  and  kings ;  and  the  knowledge  which 
the  people  everywhere  would  obtain  of  them,  would  be  asso- 
ciated with  their  relation  to  Christ, 

[Luke:  BUT  THERE  SHALL  NOT  A  HAIR  OF  YOUR  HEAD  PERISH.] 

Does  this  mean  that  none  of  them  should  suffer  bodily  in- 
jury, or  be  put  to  death?  Certainly  not ;  he  had  just  admon- 
ished them  of  the  reverse. 

Does  it  refer  to  the  probable  fact,  that  all  the  Christians  fled 
from  Jerusalem  during  the  siege,  and  did  not  in  any  case  per- 
ish then  ?  Probably  not. 


112  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

For  (1.)  All  the  apostles,  as  it  is  supposed,  with  one  excep- 
tion, perished  by  violent  deaths  before  the  siege.  (2.)  To 
speak  of  the  escape  from  that  danger  would  be  anticipating  the 
time  without  any  evident  reason  ;  for  the  period  of  which  he 
was  now  speaking  was  obviously  that  which  preceded  that 
great  event.  The  effort  to  apply  it  to  that  event  appears 
strained  and  unnatural.  Besides,  it  does  not  seem  to  harmon- 
ize with  the  spirit  and  design  of  such  a  promise. 

It  seems  to  have  been  designed  for  the  comfort  of  the  Lord's 
people  in  all  ages  of  the  world ;  and  especially  for  the  com- 
fort of  those  whose  severe  afflictions,  and  imminent  dangers, 
occasioned  the  first  giving  of  the  promise.  Now  to  take  it 
entirely,  or  almost  entirely,  away  from  them,  and  apply  it 
only  to  a  single  circumstance,  and  a  circumstance  which  had 
not  yet  been  even  alluded  to,  and,  by  so  doing,  deprive  all 
the  coming  generations  of  sufferers  from  claiming  it,  seems 
rather  more  than  common  sense  can  submit  to. 

But  what  does  the  promise  mean  ?  Probably  this :  they 
were  to  comfort  themselves  with  the  belief  that  all  their  dan- 
gers, trials  and  sufferings  were  directed  or  permitted  by  a 
Providence  which  was  not  only  personal,  but  minutely  partic- 
ular. It  numbered  the  very  hairs  of  their  head.  They  should 
even  regard  themselves  as  the  objects  of  special  divine  watch- 
care.  This  would  sustain  them  in  that  affliction,  and  in  every 
other ;  and,  indeed,  it  would  be  a  standing  promise  for  all 
ages  of  the  world. 

This  view  beautifully  harmonizes  with  our  Lord's  first  ef- 
forts to  inspire  his  disciples  with  a  firm  belief  and  trust  in  a 
special  providence.  Matt.  x.  28.  "  And  fear  not  them  which 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul :  but  rather  fear 
Him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell. 
29.  Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a  farthing  ?  and  one  of 
them  shall  not  fall  on  the  ground  without  your  Father.  30.  But 
the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  31.  Fear  ye 
not,  therefore,  ye  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows.'5 

The  promise  was  also  undoubtedly  designed  to  assure  them 
of  a  particular  providence,  not  only  in  the  sense  of  preserv- 
ing^ when  it  should  be  best,  but  also  in  the  sense  of  remuner- 


HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION.  113 

ating,  when  it  should  please  God  to  cause  or  permit  them  to 
suffer  "  for  his  name's  sake."  In  that  careful  estimation  of 
all  their  sufferings  and  losses  on  his  account,  to  serve  as  the 
basis  of  his  gracious  rewards,  not  a  single  hair  injured  in  his 
behalf  should  be  lost  in  the  reckoning.  And,  in  this  sense, 
which  is  the  only  important  sense,  not  one  hair  should  be  suffer- 
ed to  perish  :  it  should  be  preserved  in  that  final  gain  of  glory 
and  enjoyment  which  all  who  suffer  for  Christ,  and  "endure 
unto  the  end,"  shall  receive  at  the  hand  of  their  Master. 

And  this  view  of  the  subject  is  in  precise  accordance  with 
Christ's  own  application  of  this  promise,  when  he  first  gave 
it  to  his  disciples.  Let  the  reader  satisfy  himself  by  turning 
to  the  place  just  referred  to,  and  read  for  himself  how  the 
Lord  designed  to  be  understood. 

Matt.  x.  28-39.  You  will  notice  here  that  Christ  was  de- 
scribing the  identical  condition  of  things  which  has  already 
been  enlarged  upon,  without  the  least  allusion  to  Jerusalem  or 
the  escape  therefrom.  Has  this  matter  been  sufficiently  noticed 
by  those  commentators  who  are  forever  referring  to  Jerusalem  ? 

We  notice  in  the  passage  alluded  to,  which  the  judicious 
reader  has  not  failed  to  examine,  that  this  is  the  conclusion 
and  the  application  :  "  He  that  fjndeth  his  life  shall  lose  it ; 
and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  FIND  it."  May 
not  this  be  applied  to  every  part  of  the  life  ?  The  principle 
involved  in  this  promise  which  we  are  enlarging  upon,  is  suf- 
ficiently exhibited  in  another  place :  Matt.  xix.  20.  "  And 
every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or 
father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  name's 
sake,  shall  receive  an  hundred  fold,  and  shall  inherit  everlast- 
ing life."  Here  is  the  principle  on  which  nothing,  however 
trifling  in  itself,  can  be  lost,  if  it  is  sacrificed  for  the  name  of 
Christ.  And  by  using  and  applying  the  common  proverb, 
which  forms  the  substance  of  the  promise,  the  Saviour  un- 
doubtedly intended  to  teach  them  that  all  their  sufferings  and 
sacrifices  —  even  to  the  very  least — would  finally  be  reward- 
ed to  them,  in  the  gracious  remunerations  of  the  resurrection 
state.  Not  one  hair  should  perish ;  in  equivalence  it  would 
remain  forever. 
8 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

This  would  be  comfort  indeed ;  comfort  in  all  ages,  in  all 
circumstances,  even  in  maimings,  bruises,  and  death  itself. 
Not  only  would  he  put  all  their  tears  in  his  bottle,  (Ps.  Ivi. 
8,)  but  preserve  all  the  hairs  of  their  head. 

[Luke :  IN  YOUR  PATIENCE  POSSESS  YE  YOUR  sours.] 

Rather,  in  your  perseverance,  or  patient  endurance,  (u#of/,ov>],) 
of  affliction,  preserve  (wntface&s')  your  souls.  Others  will  lose 
their  souls,  by  trying  to  avoid  these  afflictions,  and  gaining 
the  world.  They  will  be  like  those  mentioned  in  the  parable 
of  the  Sower,  (Matt.  xiii.  20,  21,)  who  received  the  seed  in 
stony  places:  "He  heareth  the  word,  and  anon  with  joy  re- 
ceiveth  it ;  yet  hath  he  no  root  in  himself,  but  dureth  for 
awhile ;  for  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth,  because  of 
the  word,  by  and  by  he  is  offended"  He  is  one  who  cannot 
endure  affliction;  he  falls  away,  and,  of  course,  loses  the 
promise :  he  does  not  endure  unto  the  end  /  and,  of  consequence, 
he  loses  his  soul. 

This  is  the  very  character  which  our  Lord  had  just  been  de- 
scribing :  there  would  be  many  offended,  or  fall  away,  in 
consequence  of  these  severe  afflictions  which  would  come  upon 
the  church  everywhere.  Seeking  to  save  their  lives,  they 
would  lose  their  souls.  Shunning  the  dangers  of  the  cross, 
they  would  renounce  their  Saviour,  and  their  souls  would  per- 
ish. Bartering  their  Saviour  for  the  world,  they  would  make 
a  wretched  exchange :  they  would  lose  their  souls. 

Now,  what  our  Lord  desired  in  this  verse,  seems  to  be  just 
this :  (and  how  well  it  harmonises  with  the  whole  connections 
of  the  words !)  Do  not  be  of  the  number  who  fall  away ; 
who  cannot  continue  through  these  afflictions.  But  persevere 
until  the  end  is  attained ;  for,  whether  you  live  or  die,  not  a 
hair  of  your  head  shall  perish ;  all  will  be  treasured  up  to  the 
day  of  final  reward.  "  ^j  patient  continuance  in  well  doing, 
seek  for  glory,  and  honor,  and  immortality,"  and  God  will 
"  render"  to  you  "  eternal  life."  Rom.  ii.  7.  In  this  way 
you  shall  preserve  your  souls,  "Thou,  therefore,  endure  hard- 
ness, as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,"  2  Tim.  ii.  3.  "  But 


HAKMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  115 

watch  thou  in  all  things,  endure  afflictions"  &c.,  chapter  iv., 
v.     See  much  more  of  the  same  import  in  the  same  epistle. 

And  what  has  the  admonition  now  under  notice  to  do  with 
the  escape  of  a  few  hundred  Christians  from  the  besieged  city  ? 
How  would  such  a  restricted  limitation  of  it  apply  to  the 
world-wide,  and  age  after  age  endured  afflictions  which  are 
spoken  of  in  connection  with  it?  How  does  it  happen  that 
so  many  commentators  appear  to  see  nothing  but  Jerusalem  in 
all  these  places  ?  What  necessity -,  or,  rather,  what  authority 
is  there  for  such  restricted  applications  of  these  ever-duriiig 
admonitions  and  promises,  which  Christ  designed  for  the  sup- 
port and  guide  of  his  disciples  forever ;  and  which,  notwith- 
standing all  the  unfortunate  misapplications  of  them,  will, 
should,  and  must  be  instinctively  looked  upon  by  the  unper- 
verted  spiritual  mind,  as  present  admonitions,  and  present 
promises,  for  all  similar  conditions  ?  It  is  not  safe  to  overlook 
the  instinctive  promptings  of  the  unsubverted  spiritual  mind. 


CHAPTER   IY. 

Principal  subject — CORRUPTION  AND  DECLENSION  OF  THE 
CHUKCH. 

False  Prophets— Two  classes  of  them  —  Influence  upon  the  Church  —  Conso- 
lation and  Warning  —  What  preserves  the  Church  —  Difficult  Text  — 
Strange  Salvation — Curious  Comment  — The  Truth  discovered  —  A  true 
Exposition  —  Import  of  the  term  World  —  Examples  —  How  extensively 
the  Gospel  was  Preached  in  the  Apostolic  Age  —  Meaning  of  The  End  — 
Erroneous  Impression  —  Explanation  —  Design  of  the  Prophecy — Anew 
Explanation  —  When,  and  How,  the  Jewish  Dispensation  was  consumma- 
ted—  The  Beginning  and  the  Ending  —  Objects  of  that  Dispensation—* 
Its  effect  upon  common  Providence  —  Error  of  the  Jews  —  How  corrected 
by  Christ  —  Objection — Answer. 

Verse  11.   AND  MANY  FALSE  PROPHETS  SHALL  RISE,  AND  SHALL  DECEIVE  MANY. 

THIS  does  not  refer  to  the  false  Christs  who  had  already 
appeared,  but  to  false  teachers  who  would  arise  in  great  num- 


116  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

bers.  And  they  would  be  successful  in  deceiving  many. 
Our  Lord  seems  to  have  the  church  particularly  in  view  ;  yet 
what  he  affirms  would  be  also  true  respecting  the  Jews  as  a 
people.  During  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  as  Josephus  informs 
us,  (War,  B.  6,  c.  5,  2,)  "  A  false  prophet  was  the  occasion  of 
these  people's  destruction,  who  had  made  a  public  proclama- 
tion in  the  city  that  very  day,  that  God  commanded  them  to 
get  up  upon  the  temple,  and  that  there  they  should  receive 
miraculous  signs  of  their  deliverance.  Now  there  was  then 
a  great  number  of  false  prophets  suborned  by  the  tyrants  to 
impose  on  the  people,  who  announced  to  them,  that  they 
should  wait  for  deliverance  from  God." 

But  the  false  prophets,  or  teachers,  now  referred  to  by  the 
Lord,  were  such  as  would  come  at  an  earlier  period,  and 
would  more  particularly  affect  the  chivrch.  They  were  such 
as  he  had  warned  them  against  at  a  former  time  :  Matt.  vii.  15, 
"  Beware  of  false  prophets,  which  come  to  you  in  sheep's 
clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  ravening  wolves." 

St.  Paul  also  appears  to  have  the  same  in  view,  Acts,  xx. 
29  ;  —  "I  know  this,  that  after  my  departing,  shall  grievous 
wolves  enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing  the  flock.  30.  Also 
of  your  own  selves  shall  men  arise,  speaking  perverse  things, 
to  draw  away  disciples  after  them."  And  St.  Peter  has  the 
same  in  view,  2  Pet,  ii.  1,  "There  were  false  prophets  also 
among  the  people,  even  as  there  shall  be  false  teachers  among 
you,  who  privily  shall  bring  in  damnable  heresies,  even  de- 
nying the  Lord  that  bought  them.  2.  And  many  shall  follow 
their  pernicious  ways ;  by  reason  of  whom  the  way  of  truth 
shall  be  evil  spoken  of. 

Jude  also  has  a  bitter  complaint  against  these  false  teachers  ; 
verse  4,  "  For  there  are  certain  men  crept  in  unawares,  who 
were  before  of  old  ordained  to  this  condemnation ;  ungodly 
men,  turning  the  grace  of  God  into  lasciviousness,  and  deny- 
ing the  only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"We  find  that  not  only  were  the  most  vital  doctrines  denied, 
and  the  most  abominable  taught,  but  the  false  teachers  also 
encouraged  the  most  filthy  practices.  With  these  things  in 
remembrance,  we  are  prepared  for  the  next  verse. 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  117 


Verse.  12.   AND  BECAUSE  INIQUITY  SHALL  ABOUND,  THE  LOVE  OF  MANY  SHALL 
COLD. 

How  could  it  be  otherwise  ?  either  that  iniquity  should  not 
abound,  under  these  circumstances  ;  or,  abounding,  that  the 
love  of  many  should  not  wax  cold  ?  With  such  a  woful  state 
of  things  in  the  church,  iniquity  would  pour  in  like  a  flood, 
extinguishing  the  flame  of  love  in  many  hearts. 

But  who  would  have  anticipated  such  dreadful  corruptions 
in  the  church,  so  soon  after  the  resurrection  of  the  Saviour? 
"While  the  blood  of  martyrdom  was  even  then  fertilizing  the 
earth,  who  would  have  expected  such  a  luxuriance  of  wicked- 
ness in  the  church  ?  It  was  even  as  Omniscience  foretold. 
Even  under  the  apostolic  ministry  and  government  ;  within 
the  same  generation  that  witnessed  the  baptism  of  Pentecost  ; 
in  spite  of  divine  admonitions,  and  living  apostolic  inspira- 
tions ;  notwithstanding  all,  the  true  church  of  Christ  became 
infested  with  schisms  and  heresies,  and  cursed  with  abound- 
ing wickedness. 

From  this  we  may  learn  two  things:  1.  To  beware  of 
pride  and  vain  glorying.  2.  Not  to  despair  :  not  even  in  the 
most  discouraging  times.  And  when  we  see  wickedness 
abounding  in  the  church,  as  well  as  in  the  world,  we  need  not 
give  up  all  for  lost  ;  it  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun  ;  and 
God  will  still  have  a  seed  to  serve  him. 

"  The  love  of  many  shall  wax  cold" 

And  it  would  be  wonderful  indeed  if  it  were  otherwise,  in 
such  circumstances  as  these.  When  the  very  fuel  of  purity 
and  truth,  that  was  designed  to  feed  the  flame  of  love,  is  with- 
held, and  every  disadvantage  is  in  successful  operation,  love 
must  grow  cold  ;  there  is  nothing  left  to  sustain  it.  With 
these  persecutions  from  without,  making  havoc  of  the  church  ; 
and  with  these  corrupters  making  havoc  within,  is  it  not  sur- 
prising that  the  church  was  preserved  ?  It  is  surprising, 
when  we  consider  matters  as  they  appear  to  the  mere  philoso- 
pher ;  but  it  is  not  surprising,  when  we  consider  that  the 
church  is  founded  upon  a  Rock,  and  that  God  has  sworn  by 
himself  to  defend  and  preserve  it.  The  church"  has  a  vitality, 
in  consequence  of  these  diTine  provisions,  wh  ch  her  ene- 


118  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

mies  are  unable  to  destroy  ;  and  her  identity  is  as  imperisha- 
ble as  the  souls  that  compose  it. 

Verse  13.  BUT  HE  THAT  SHALL  ENDURE  UNTO  THE  END,  THE  SAME  SHALL  BE  SAVED. 

To  the  end  of  what  ?  Shall  be  saved  from  what  ?  Two 
celebrated  commentaries  now  before  the  writer,  which  abound 
with  the  favorite  Jerusalem  idea,  pass  entirely  over  this  verse  I 
Did  it  stand  in  the  way  of  a  favorite  theory  ?  Two  or  three 
others  touch  it  so  lightly,  as  to  hardly  treat  it  with  common 
respect.  But  one  noted  commentary  of  world-wide  reputa- 
tion thus  expounds : 

"  JSut  lie  that  shall  endure  —  the  persecutions  that  shall 
come — unto  tJie  end  ;  to  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  polity, 
without  growing  cold  or  apostatising  —  shall  be  saved,  shall 
be  delivered  in  all  imminent  dangers,  and  have  his  soul  at 
last  brought  to  an  eternal  glory.  It  is  very  remarkable  that 
not  a  single  Christian  perished  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, though  there  were  many  there  when  Cesti%is  Gallus 
invested  the  city ;  and  had  he  persevered  in  the  siege,  he 
would  soon  have  rendered  himself  master  of  ,it ;  but  when  he 
unexpectedly  and  unaccountably  raised  the  siege,  the  Chris- 
tians took  that  opportunity  to  escape."  (Dr.  Clarke.) 

Shall  be  saved  from  what  ?  Why,  "  he  shall  be  delivered 
in  all  imminent  dangers."  How  definite !  How  satisfactory  1 
It  is  this,  then  :  "  He  that  shall  endure  unto  the  end  "  —  "of 
the  Jewish  polity,  without  growing  cold  or  apostatising,  shall 
be  saved  ;  shall  be  delivered  in  all  imminent  dangers  !  " 

Does  this  mean  saved  from  all  imminent  dangers  ?  or,  being 
in  such  dangers,  they  shall  be  saved  in  them  ?  To  say  they 
shall  be  saved  from  all  imminent  dangers,  is  flatly  contra- 
dictory to  the  plainest  historical  facts,  relating  to  the  history 
of  the  church  in  those  after  days.  To  say  they  shall  be  saved 
in  all  imminent  dangers,  is  nonsense,  and  a  total  perversion 
of  the  word.  But  the  commentary  means,  that  "  not  a  single 
Christian  perished  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem."  Ah,  that 
is  the  salvation,  then.  He  that  endures  to  the  end  of  the 
danger,  shall  be  saved  from,  or  in,  that  danger  I  Well,  this 
is  information  1  He  that  perseveres  in  endurance  until  all 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  119 

the  calamities  are  brought  to  an  end,  shall  be  saved  from 
those  calamities  !  "What  a  salvation ! 

But  what  is  the  end  until  which  they  must  endure  ?  Until 
the  end  "  of  the  Jewish  polity,"  says  the  commentary.  Very 
well ;  when  did  that  end  take  place  ?  This  same  authority 
applies  the  29th  verse  to  that  event,  which  relates  to  things, 
"  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days ! "  Worse 
and  worse !  It  amounts  to  this,  then :  If  they  endure  until 
"  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days,"  they  shall  be  saved  from 
perishing  in  that  tribulation  ! 

There  are  two  things  in  this  comment  which  are  deserving 
of  especial  notice  :  (1.)  They  must  endure  to  the  end  of  the 
Jewish  polity,  which  was  "  after  the  tribulation  of  those 
days ; "  and,  (2.)  They  made  their  escape  from  those  calami- 
ties at  the  time  Cestius  Gallus  invested  the  city,  which  was 
at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  and  several  years  before  the 
tribulation  of  those  days  was  ended !  Put  this  and  that 
together,  and  call  the  product  salvation ! 

But  the  end  was  the  end  of  the  war.  No ;  the  war  lasted 
several  years  after  this  escape.  It  was  the  end  of  the  siege. 
No ;  the  final  siege  had  not  yet  begun.  Well,  at  all  events, 
it  was  the  end  of  something  that  terminated  about  those  days. 
Yery  good ;  but  as  the  promise  reads,  "  He  that  endureth 
unto  the  end  shall  be  saved,"  it  is  proper  to  ask  two  or  three 
questions :  (1.)  Suppose,  by  reason  of  disease,  accident,  or 
violence,  they  should  be  unable  to  endure  to  the  end  of  the 
Jewish  polity ;  does  the  promise  save  them  ?  (2.)  Suppose 
they  endure  unto  that  end,  and  then  apostatise,  as  some  that 
we  read  of  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  does  the  promise  save 
them? 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  commentator  seemed  to 
distrust  his  own  teachings ;  for,  in  connection  with  this  tem- 
poral salvation,  he  speaks  of  another ;  "  Shall  be  delivered  in 
all  imminent  dangers,  and  have  his  soul  at  last  brought  to  an 
eternal  glory"  Truly,  this  puts  a  new  face  upon  the  whole 
matter  ;  it  looks  very  differently  now.  But  how  does  it  look 
in  the  connection  in  which  it  stands  ?  Let  us  see :  "  He  that 
endureth  to  the  end" —  "  of  the  Jewish  polity,"  trouble,  war, 


120  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

Biege,  or  something  else  that  is  going  to  end  about  those 
times  —  shall  "have  his  soul  brought  to  an  eternal  glory!" 
Well,  this  is  both  definite  and  evangelical !  "We  know  now 
just  how  long  to  remain  steadfast  in  order  to  obtain  eternal 
glory ! 

But  you  mistake  the  commentary :  it  means,  He  that  en- 
dureth  — to  the  end  of  life.  Does  it,  indeed  ?  Then  why  not 
intimate  such  a  thing  ?  Why  not  say  it  at  once,  and  avoid 
this  most  wretched  way  of  "  darkening  counsel  by  words 
without  knowledge  ? "  To  the  end  of  life.  Very  good  ;  this 
is  right ;  it  is  a  pity  that  the  thing  was  not  stated  so  in  the 
exposition ! 

This  agrees  with  both  common  sense  and  Scripture ;  for 
^obation  continues  during  life  ;  and  until  life  is  ended,  the 
promise  is  not  made  sure.  The  spirit  of  the  promise  is  this  : 
"  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of 
life."  Rev.  ii.  10.  It  was  in  prospect  of  immediate  death 
that  the  apostle  was  permitted  to  say,  2  Tim.  iv.  6,  "  For  I 
am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is 
at  hand.  7.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my 
course,  I  have  kept  the  faith  ;  8.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up 
for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  right- 
eous Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day,"  &c.  And  this  agrees 
with  our  Lord's  use  of  the  promise  in  Matt.  x.  22,  where  there 
does  not  appear  to  be  the  remotest  allusion  to  the  Jewish 
war. 

How  much  better  than  the  above  quoted  comment  is  that 
of  Richard  Watson!  Says  he,  on  this  text,  —  "ISTot  to  the 
end  of  these  persecutions  and  troubles  ;  for  men  may  outlive 
their  sufferings  for  Christ's  sake,  and  the  grace,  too,  which 
carried  them  through  the  trial,  and  fall  away  in  times  of  sub- 
sequent, ease  and  prosperity.  Much  less  are  we  to  understand, 
with  others,  by  being  saved,  being  delivered  from  the  calami- 
ties of  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  ;  for  these  words,  like  the  pre- 
ceding verses,  refer  to  Christians  throughout  the  world,  and 
not  merely  to  those  in  Jerusalem,  or  even  in  Judea.  The 
salvation,  as  the  connection  shows,  is  eternal  salvation ;  and 
it  is  promised  to  them  that  endure.  Here  the  word 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  121 

may  be  taken  in  the  sense  of  reinaining  when  others  aposta- 
tise and  depart ;  or  in  the  sense  of  patiently  sustaining  all 
the  afflictions,  and  conflicts,  and  temptations  spoken  of,  to  the 
end  of  life  /  for  then  only  is  our  salvation  secure  and  certain." 
This  is  wholesome,  scriptural,  and  satisfactory.  But  such 
expositions  as  the  one  just  before  examined,  cannot  be  too 
earnestly  deprecated.  But  our  task  with  that  kind  of  com- 
menting is  not  yet  fi.iished ;  there  is  much  more  to  come. 

Verse  14    AND  THIS  GOSPEL  OF  THE  KINGDOM  SHALL  BE  PREACHED  IN  ALL  THE 

WORLD  FOR  A  WITNESS  UNTO  ALL  NATIONS  ;    AND  THEN  SHALL  THE  END  COME. 

"Whether  the  word  world  in  this  verse  should  be  understood 
in  its  most  extensive  import,  as  it  is  used  in  some  places ;  or 
whether  it  should  be  understood  in  a  somewhat  limited  sense, 
as  it  is  not  unfrequently  used,  admits  of  a  question.  There 
can  be  no  doubt,  however,  but  that  it  should  be  understood 
in  a  very  general  sense,  as  including  the  greater  proportion  of 
the  habitable  earth.  Perhaps  the  ordinary  colloquial  import 
of  the  term  is  sufficiently  definite.  We  say  all  the  world  was 
represented  in  the  great  London  Exhibition.  But  we  do  not 
wish  to  be  understood  in  the  most  exact  and  extensive  sense. 
Alexander  conquered  the  world,  is  a  very  common  expression ; 
but  no  one  understands  it  in  its  most  extensive  import.  Luke 
ii.  2.  "  There  went  out  a  decree  from  Caesar  Augustus  that 
all  the  world  should  be  taxed."  Here  is  the  same  original 
word  that  is  used  in  the  verse  under  notice.  But  it  evidently 
means  the  Koman  empire,  which  did  by  no  means^include 
literally  all  the  world. 

But  the  word  before  us,  in  its  present  connections,  should 
not  be  limited  to  the  empire ;  for  it  was  to  be  "  unto  all 
nations."  It  is  possible  that  it  should  be  as  unrestricted  in 
its  application,  as  it  is  in  Mark  xvi.  15.  "  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature."  True,  the 
word  in  this  text  is  xocffiov,  and  the  word  in  the  verse  under 
examination  is  OIXOVJXSVT]  ;  but  a  little  attention  to  the  use  of  the 
words  will  show  that  they  are  used  interchangeably.  In  Ro- 
mans x.  18,  we  have  this  latter  word  used  to  show  the  general 
promulgation  of  the  gospel :  "  I  say,  Have  they  not  heard  ? 


122  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

Yes,  verily,  their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and  their 
words  unto  the  ends  of  the  (oixovfAsv^)  world."  In  Colossians 
i.  6,  we  have  the  other  word  ;  speaking  of  the  general  spread 
of  the  gospel,  it  is  said,  "  Which  is  come  unto  you,  as  it  is  in 
all  the  (xotffxw)  world."  In  Acts  xvii.  31,  where  the  universal 
judgment  is  spoken  of,  the  same  word  is  used  that  we  find  in 
the  verse  under  notice.  "  Because  he  hath  appointed  a  day, 
in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  (o»xovjasv>jv)  world  in  righteous- 
ness, ....  whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all 
men"  &c.  We  perceive  by  this  that  the  word  may ^mean, 
and  sometimes  does  mean,  the  whole  habitable  world. 

And  there  is  not  only  no  particular  reason  for  restricting 
the  word  in  the  verse  before  us ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  there 
is  reason  for  understanding  it  in  its  fullest  signification.  This 
is  shown  by  the  above  quotations  from  Rom.  x.  18,  and  Col. 

1.  6,  where  it  is  distinctly  affirmed  that  the  gospel  had  been 
carried  throughout  the  world.     And  the  same  thing  is  affirmed 
very  plainly  in  the  23d  verse  of  the  last  mentioned  chapter  : 
"  Which  was  preached  to  every  creature  under  heaven." 

And  this  is  proved  also  by  reliable  history.     Eusebius,  B. 

2,  c.  3,  says,  (and  he  speaks  of  the  period  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,)  "  Thus,  then,  under  a  celestial  influence 
and  cooperation,  the  doctrine  of  the  Saviour,  like  the  rays  of 
the  sun,  quickly  irradiated  the  whole  world.     Presently,  in 
accordance  with  divine  prophecy,  the  sound  of  his  inspired 
evangelists  and  apostles  had  gone  throughout  all  the  earth, 
and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the  world."    It  would  seem 
as  if  these  proofs  ought  to  be  deemed  sufficient  to  establish  the 
conclusion  respecting  the  extent  of  the  signification  of  this 
word,  especially  as  there  is  nothing  to  show  to  the  contrary. 

"  And  then  shall  the  end  come." 

What  end  is  here  intended?  Answer — the  end  about 
which  they  inquired ;  but  not  the  end  as  they  understood  it. 
"  What  shall  be  the  sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the 
(aiuvo?)  age,  or  dispensation  ?"  This  rendering  is  according  to 
the  best  authorities.  The  question  appears  to  have  been  this : 
What  shall  be  the  sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the 


HAUMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  123 


finishing,  or  consummation  of  the  (aiwvos)  age  —  the  present 
age,  or  duration  of  time  that  is  to  terminate  when  thou  com- 
est  ?  By  examining  the  chapter  devoted  to  these  inquiries, 
(Part  1,  chap.  3,)  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  understanding 
what  follows.  The  end  here  spoken  of  is  undoubtedly  the 
same  that  they  had  in  view  in  their  interrogations.  It  had  a 
Jewish  signification,  and  related  to  the  closing  up  of  the 
aiwvos  then  passing,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Messianic 
dispensation.  But  the  manner  in  which  they  propounded 
their  questions,  manifested  confusion  and  error  in  their  appre- 
hension of  the  subject.  And  the  Theory  of  this  Exposition 
supposes  that  this  discourse  of  our  Lord  was  designed  to  cor- 
rect their  erroneous  impressions,  and  confirm  them  in  the 
truth. 

The  note  of  "Wesley  is  to  the  point,  and  characteristic  of 
his  remarkable  clearness  and  precision.  "The  disciples 
inquire  confusedly,  1,  Concerning  the  time  of  the  destruction 
of  the  temple  ;  2,  Concerning  the  signs  of  Christ's  coming, 
and  of  the  end  of  the  world,  as  if  they  imagined  these  two 
were  the  same  thing." 

The  confusion  of  the  disciples  had  respect  to  two  things  — 
1.  Supposing  that  Christ's  coming  spiritually,  for  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Mediatorial  kingdom,  which  would  be  during 
their  own  natural  lifetime,  was  the  same  as  the  personal, 
visible  advent  for  the  judgment  of  the  world,  which  will  be 
at  the  final  consummation  —  not  of  the  Jewish  period  —  but 
of  the  probation  of  the  nations  of  the  earth,  when  all  nations 
shall  be  judged.  They  were  also  in  error,  2,  In  supposing 
that  the  destruction  of  the  temple  would  be  synchronous  with 
the  coming  of  Christ,  as  they  understood  that  coming,  and  as 
just  above  explained.  This  statement  of  the  case  is  of  great 
importance  to  a  correct  understanding  of  what  follows. 

In  view  of  the  erroneous  impression  of  the  disciples,  our 
Lord  undertakes  to  show  them  three  things  :  1,  The  (<ruvTsXffia) 
consummation  of  that  age  ;  2,  The  destruction  of  the  temple, 
and  its  attending  calamities  ;  3,  The  judgment  advent  of  the 
Son  of  man,  at  the  end  of  the  world. 

These  three  things  he  presents  in  their  respective  order,  and 


124  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

pays  the  strictest  regard  to  the  chronology  of  the  events. 
The  verse  under  notice  relates  to  the  consummation  of  the 
then  present  (ouuns)  age ;  and  it  teaches  not  only  when,  but 
how,  it  should  terminate. 

The  author  is  apprised  that  what  he  is  about  to  advance 
concerning  the  time  and  manner  of  closing  up  the  Jewish 
age  is  entirely  new.  And  it  ought  to  be  new ;  for,  after  years 
of  research,  he  has  not  had  the  happiness  of  finding  any  ex- 
planation of  this  subject  that  has  appeared  to  be  consistent 
either  with  the  Scriptures,  or  with  itself. 

But  to  the  question : 

"  And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all 
the  world,  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations  ;  and  then  shall  the 
end  come." 

The  complete  and  literal  accomplishment  of  the  first  part 
of  this  prediction,  has  already  been  shown  in  the  proper  place. 
And  it  has  been  proved  to  have  been  fulfilled  during  the 
apostolic  times.  We  now  proceed  to  speak  of  the  end  which 
should  result  from  that  fulfillment. 

God  raised  up,  separated,  and  peculiarly  distinguished  and 
governed,  the  Jewish  people.  And  it  was  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  a  distinct  and  peculiar  purpose,  during  a  definite  and 
limited  time.  They  were  chosen  to  receive  a  particular 
knowledge  of  the  nature  and  will  of  God,  and  to  preserve 
that  knowledge  in  the  midst  of  the  darkness  and  idolatry  of 
the  world  ;  so  that,  at  a  more  suitable  time,  when  God  should 
think  advisable,  it  might  be  communicated  to  the  world 
generally. 

Intimately  connected  with  this  general  design,  there  was 
another,  more  specific,  and,  if  possible,  more  important :  The 
world  was,  in  due  time,  to  be  taught  (perhaps  it  should  read, 
retaught)  the  divine  method  of  salvation,  through  the  sacrifi- 
cial suffering  and  death  of  God's  own  beloved  Son.  Hence, 
for  this  two-fold  purpose,  the  Jews  received  not  only  the 
moral  law,  by  which  is  the  knowledge  of  sin;  but  also  the 
ceremonial  law,  by  which  to  show  the  salvation  from  sin. 
The  moral  law  of  necessity  implies  and  contains  all  appropri- 
ate doctrines  and  duties.  The  ceremonial  law  as  necessarily 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  125 

contained  multiform  typical  services,  designed  to  show  both 
the  necessity  and  nature  of  salvation,  through  the  sacrificial 
suffering  and  death  of  another. 

These  statements  need  not  be  enlarged  upon,  in  this  connec- 
tion, for  they  are  understood  by  all  who  will  candidly  examine 
this  Exposition. 

Now  this  two-fold  purpose  God  undertook  to  accomplish  by 
means  of  the  Jewish  nation,  until  Divine  Wisdom  should  see 
fit  to  fufill  the  typical  dispensation,  by  the  sacrificial  death 
and  offering  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all.  Christ  was  the 
Lamb  of  God  to  which  all  previous  offerings  significantly 
pointed.  Whatever  human  ignorance  may  think  of  this,  it 
was  undeniably  the  design  arid  method  of  Infinite  Wisdom. 
And  the  Jewish  people  were  selected  for  the  purpose  of  carry- 
ing this  double  purpose  forward  to  completion. 

As  one  would  reasonable  expect,  the  divine  administration 
over  the  world  had  always  a  particular  respect  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  this  object,  as  it  was,  for  a  definite  period,  com- 
mitted to  the  Jews.  This  great  purpose  was  ever  distinctly 
in  view  by  the  divine  Mind,  in  all  the  principal  events  of  that 
former  dispensation.  All  would  be  dark,  inexplicably  dark, 
and  unsatisfying,  but  for  this. 

Now,  that  period  of  time  during  which  this  matter  was 
intrusted  to  that  people,  and  for  whose  sake,  on  this  account, 
the  world  was  more  or  less  affected  and  governed,  was  em- 
phatically the  Jewish  (ouwvos)  age.  Everything  in  the  divine 
administration  was  more  or  less  Jewish  in  its  reference  and 
tendency,  for  this  specific  reason.  It  was  a  peculiar  age  for 
a  peculiar  purpose.  And  as  it  was  not  designed  to  be  eternal, 
but  temporary,  it  was  necessarily  limited  to  the  period  of  its 
propriety,  and  then  must  terminate. 

The  time  of  limiting  the  light  of  God's  will  and  nature  to 
that  people,  must  in  due  time  have  an  end ;  and  then  God 
would  send  out  his  light  and  his  truth  abroad  unto  all  people. 
Then  there  would  be  no  longer  any  necessity  or  propriety  in 
confining  to  that  people  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  through 
the  redemption  wrought  out  by  the  world's  Redeemer.  The 
door  of  information  and  privilege  must  then  be  opened  to  the 


126  HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION. 

excluded  nations.  The  middle  wall  of  separating  exclusive- 
ness  must  then  be  broken  down.  And  this  must  terminate 
that  peculiar  dispensation.  It  will  then  have  accomplished 
its  purpose ;  and  will  be  dismissed  from  its  position  in  the 
divine  government. 

But  it  would  not  be  completely  ended  in  a  moment,  for  it 
did  not  completely  begin  in  a  moment.  It  required  progressive 
and  gradual  consummation  both  in  beginning  and  ending. 
We  might  suppose  that  aiwvos  began  with  the  call  of  Abraham ; 
but  did  it  then  have  the  written  and  ceremonial  law  ?  Could 
it  then  systematically  and  significantly  typify  the  priesthood 
and  sacrifice  of  Christ  ?  No  ;  and  yet  that  age  was,  to  some 
extent,  begun. 

We  might  suppose  it  began  with  the  Exodus  from  Egypt ; 
but  were  the  typical  institutions  completely  selected  and 
established  ?  No  ;  but  there  had  been  progress.  It  was  not 
until  after  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  consecration  of  the 
Levitical  priesthood,  and  the  setting  up  of  the  tabernacle, 
that  the  typical  ouwvos  was  fully  established.  It  was  not 
unbegun  before ;  but  it  was  uncomplete  until  then. 

Just  so  in  the  ending  or  consummation  of  that  period ;  it  is 
easy  to  perceive  that  even  with  John  the  Baptist  it  began  to 
terminate :  "  The  law  and  the  prophets  were  until  John ; 
since  that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached,  and  every 
man  presseth  into  it."  Luke  xvi.  16.  And  when  Christ  and 
his  first  embassy  of  apostles  began  to  preach,  "  The  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand,"  there  had  been  progress  from  John ; 
but  there  was  still  farther  progress  to  make.  The  new  dis- 
pensation began  to  jostle  and  to  crowd  the  other ;  but  both 
seemed  for  a  time  to  coexist.  The  dawning  of  the  new  day 
began  to  shed  twilight  over  the  Israelitish  hills  ;  but  the  day 
had  not  yet  fully  come.  "  Let  thy  kingdom  come,"  was  still 
the  prayer  of  the  church.  And  yet  the  Saviour  affirmed,  "  If 
I  by  the  finger  of  God  cast  out  devils,  no  doubt  but  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  come  upon  you."  Luke  xi.  20.  The  view  of 
the  subject  here  defended,  is  the  only  one  that  can  naturally 
harmonize  those  passages  which  teach  that  the  kingdom  had 
come,  was  nigh,  and  was  yet  to  come.  The  fact  is,  the  new 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  127 

dispensation  was  gradual  m  completing  its  beginning  •  and 
the  old  dispensation  was  as  gradual  in  completing  its  consum- 
mation.  "When  the  Lamb  of  God  was  made  an  offering  for 
sin,  so  far  as  saving  efficacy  was  concerned,  the  old  dispensa- 
tion was  ended,  and  the  new  one  established. 

But  still  the  time  had  not  yet  arrived  for  opening  the  door 
to  the  Gentiles ;  the  keys  were  already  in  the  hands  of  the 
apostles  ;  but  they  had  not  learned  how  to  use  them.  They 
were  instructed  in  relation  to  their  duty  to  disciple  all  nations ; 
but  commanded  to  begin  at  Jerusalem,  and  for  a  season  to 
tarry  there.  God  had  not  yet  granted  this  salvation  to  the 
Gentiles.  But  the  old  dispensation,  in  regard  to  its  exclusive- 
ness^  was  now  ended ;  the  door  of  salvation  was  opened  to 
the  whole  world.  Yet  one  thing  of  importance  remained :  the 
hitherto  excluded  nations  must  now  be  informed  of  their  com- 
mon election  to  the  privileges  of  the  new  dispensation  ;  and 
the  far-off  and  universally  scattered  tribes  of  Israel,  yet 
remaining  in  conscientious  observance  of  the  fulfilled  institu- 
tions of  the  Jewish  aiwvos,  must  now  be  visited  by  the  ambas- 
sadors of  the  new  kingdom,  and  invited  to  bow  to  the  sceptre 
that  governs  to  save.  The  obligation,  the  exclusiveness,  the 
pri/vileges,  and  the  efficacy  of  the  Jewish  dispensation  have 
already  ended ;  and  but  this  one  thing  remains  to  complete 
its  termination. 

When  shall  the  end  be  ?  and  how  shall  it  be  ?  Answer : 
"  And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the 
world,  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations;  AND  THEN  SHALL  THE 
END  BE." 

'As  from  the  call  of  Abraham  to  the  setting  up  of  the 
tabernacle,  it  was  progressing  to  its  complete  beginning  ;  so 
from  the  days  of  John  until  this  universal  testimony  to  the 
nations,  it  was  passing  away,  one  thing  after  another,  until  its 
complete  ending.  This  shall  be  the  end. 

But  the  end  would  not  come  as  they  supposed  it,  would. 
They  thought  Christ  would  then  make  his  appearance  in  his 
judgment  character,  to  establish  such  a  worldly  kingdom  as 
the  Jews  were  generally  and  fondly  expecting.  They  antici- 
pated some  great  and  violent  commotion,  of  which  the 


128  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

destruction  of  the  unbelieving  Jews,  with  their  holy  honse, 
would  be  a  part.  The  predicted  commotions  and  general 
judgment  of  the  nations,  at  the  closing  up  of  the  Gospel  age, 
as  related  in  Matt.  xiii.  and  elsewhere,  they  had  confounded 
with  the  extensive  commotions  and  particular  judgment  of 
the  Jewish  people,  at  the  closing  up  of  the  Jewish  age.  And 
this  great  mistake  originated  from  their  erroneous  conceptions 
of  Messiah's  kingdom.  The  discourse  of  Christ  was  undoubt- 
edly intended  to  correct  their  errors  ;  and  most  clearly  did  it 
do  so,  if  we  may  judge  from  its  adaptation. 

It  is  lamentable  that  this  misconception  of  the  matter  which 
the  disciples  manifested,  and  which  our  Lord  undertook  to 
correct,  should  still  be  propagated,  to  the  confusion  of  God's 
people,  and  the  encouragement  of  error  and  delusion. 

Up  to  this  point  in  the  prophecy,  our  Lord  has  accomplished 
two  things :  1.  He  has  corrected  their  misconception,  that 
the  end  of  the  Jewish  age  would  synchronise  with  his  second 
personal  coming  to  judgment.  He  has  passed  on  from  one 
event  to  another,  with  strict  regard  to  the  chronologic  order, 
and  conducted  them  down  to  the  end  of  which  they  inquired, 
without  a  single  reference  to  his  personal  coming.  Thus  has 
he  corrected  their  erroneous  impression  in  respect  to  that 
point.  2.  In  the  second  place,  he  has  taught  them  that  the 
nature  of  his  kingdom*  is  not  such  as  they  expected  :  it  will 
not  come  "  with  observation  : "  it  will  not  be  an  earthly,  visi- 
ble kingdom ;  but  one  that  will  be  established  and  spread 
abroad  by  the  suffering,  martyrdom,  and  testimony  of  his 
disciples ;  and  its  establishment  completed  by  the  universal 
proclamation  of  the  Gospel. 

To  this  view  there  may  be  urged  this  objection  :  That  the 
phrase  rfuvrsXsioff  TOU  aiwvos,  in  Matt,  xxiv.,  and  which  event  ter- 
minated before  the  fall  of  Jerusalem,  is  the  same  as  in  Matt, 
xiii. ,  where  it  evidently  refers,  not  to  the  end  of  the  Jewish 
age,  but  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

The  point  of  the  objection  is  this  :  That  in  Matt.  xxiv.  the 
terminated  previously  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem ; 

*  During  the  Gospel  dispensation. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  129 

whereas,  in  Matt.  xiii.  we  understand  the  term  to  refer  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
Just  so  ;  and  this  is  the  answer — 

1.  Tou  aiwvos,  in  Matt,  xxiv.,  was  evidently  the  Jewish  age, 
which  had  just  been  the  subject  of  discourse,  and  was  then 
the  matter  of  conversation  and  inquiry. 

2.  But,  in  Matt,  xiii.,  the  Jewish  age  or  dispensation  was 
neither  directly  nor  indirectly  referred  to ;   and  did  not  in 
any  sense  form  the  subject  of  inquiry  or  discourse. 

3.  The  "kingdom  of  heaven" — the  Messianic  age — was 
distinctly  and  confessedly  the  subject  of  the  parables  contain- 
ing the  phrase  in  question.     And  in  every  instance,  to  guard 
against  being  misunderstood,  the  parables  were  thus  intro- 
duced—  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like,"  &c. 

4.  Finally,  as  must  be  evident  to  all,  the  aiwvo?  referred  to  in 
both  portions  of  the  record,  was  the  specific  age  which  was 
then  the  special  subject  of  inquiry  and  discourse.     Therefore, 
what  is  affirmed  of  the  end  of  the  a/wvo^  in  Matt,  xiii,  has  no 
proper  connection  with  what  is  affirmed  of  the  end  of  the 

in  the  verse  under  comment ;   for,  in  one  place,  the 
of  the  Jewish  dispensation  is  referred  to ;   and,  in  the 
other  place,  the  tfuvrsXeia  of  the  Messianic. 
9 


130  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER   V. 

Principal  subject  —  FLIGHT  OF  THE  CHRISTIANS. 

Progressive  order  of  the  Prophecy  —  What  is  indicated  by  the  Inquiries  that 
.  led  to  the  Prophecy — When  did  the  Christians  flee  from  Jerusalem?  — 
Difficulty  in  determining  —  Strange  blunders  in  quoting  History  —  What 
was  the  Signal  for  beginning  the  Flight — Abortive  efforts  to  determine  — 
The  Source  of  Information  —  Probable  time  of  the  Flight — Three  Consid- 
erations—  Interesting  Parenthesis  —  Further  Information  concerning  the 
Flight — Two  Aspects  of  the  Signal — Wisdom  of  the  Lord's  Direction  — 
Benefit  to  Christians  of  all  countries  —  Description  of  the  Flight  —  Regu- 
lations of  the  Flight  —  How  the  Families  were  Saved  —  Our  Lord's  Proph- 
ecy partly  a  Compilation — Why  those  days  were  called  Days  of  Vengeance 
—  How  long  they  were  to  continue — An  important  consideration  —  Con- 
dition of  Women  with  young  Children  —  Time  of  the  Year  when  the  Flight 
occurred — Why  not  on  the  Sabbath  —  Numbers  Destroyed  and  taken  Cap- 
tive during  the  War  —  The  Elect  for  whose  sake  those  days  were  shortened. 

Verse  15.  WHEN  YE  THEREFORE  SHALL  SEE  [Luke:  JERUSALEM  COMPASSED  WITH 
ARMIES]  THE  ABOMINATION  OF  DESOLATION  SPOKEN  OF  BY  DANIEL  THE  PROPHET  [STAND- 
ING] [Mark:  WHERE  IT  OUGHT  NOT,]  IN  THE  HOLY  PLACE,  (WHOSO  READETH,  LET  HIM 

UNDERSTAND,)    [Luke  :   THEN   KNOW  THAT  THE  DESOLATION  THEREOF  IS  NIGH.] 

Verse  16.     THEN  LET  THEM  WHICH  BE  IN  JUDEA  FLEE  INTO  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

HAYING  finished  his  discourse  respecting  the  events  which 
would  occur  previously  to  the  first  siege  of  Jerusalem,  and 
thereby  answered  the  inquiry  concerning  the  consummation 
of  that  age,  our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  speak  of  the  time  and 
manner  of  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  and  the  attending 
and  resulting  calamities.  This  would  answer  another  of  their 
inquiries,  and  remove  their  erroneous  impressions  respecting 
the  successive  order  of  the  events.  From  the  order  of  their 
interrogations,  it  would  seem  that  they  had  either  no  definite 
conception  of  the  chronologic  relation  of  the  events,  or  else 
supposed  that  the  first  in  order  would  be  the  destruction  of 
the  temple ;  following  that,  the  coming  of  Christ ;  then,  the 
end  of  the  world. 

Our  Lord  now  gives  them  to  understand,  (1.)  That  the  several 


HAEMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  131 

events  would  not  occur  at  the  same  time,  but  would  transpire 
in  a  determinate  order.  (2.)  That  the  first  would  be  the  end 
of  the  aiwvocr,  about  which  they  inquired ;  then,  the  destruction 
of  the  temple,  and  the  general  desolation.  He  now  proceeds 
to  speak  of  the  period  of  time  that  follows  the  consummation 
of  the  Jewish  aiwvo?, — a  period  which  is  not  yet  finished ;  and 
will  not  be,  until  Jerusalem  ceases  to  be  trodden  down  under 
the  feet  of  the  Gentiles. 
"  When  ye  therefore  shaU  see  Jerusalem  compassed  with 


The  destruction  and  desolation  would  be  effected  by  armies. 
The  city  should  be  besieged  —  compassed  with  armies.  It 
would  not  be  desolated  by  earthquakes,  or  by  any  natural  con- 
vulsion; but  men  —  men  in  armies  —  would  destroy  it.  In 
this  we  observe  again  the  definiteness  and  minuteness  of  our 
Lord's  predictions.  When  they  should  see  these  surrounding 
armies,  they  were  directed  to  take  their  flight  into  the 
mountains. 

Now  it  may  be  supposed  by  some  that  there  could  be  no 
difficulty  in  ascertaining  the  precise  time  when  the  Christians 
were  to  begin  their  flight.  But  after  a  thorough  investigation 
of  this  subject,  the  author  finds  that  this  point  is  involved  in 
great  uncertainty.  It  is  generally  supposed  to  refer  to  the 
siege  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  when  Cestius  Gallus  so 
suddenly  and  unexpectedly  retired  from  the  city.  There  are 
many  affirmations  to  this  effect ;  but  there  are  but  few  references 
to  history.  And,  what  is  certainly  surprising,  the  usual  ref- 
erences do  not  sustain  the  point  which  they  are  quoted  to  prove. 

For  instance,  Newton  on  the  Prophecies,*  p.  344,  assumes 
and  explains  as  follows  :  "  When  therefore  the  Roman  army 
shall  advance  to  'besiege  Jerusalem,  then  let  them  who  are  in 
Judea  consult  their  own  safety,  and  fly  into  the  mountains. 
This  counsel  was  wisely  remembered,  and  put  in  practice  by 
the  Christians  afterwards.  Josephus  informs  us,  that  when 
Cestius  Gallus  came  with  his  army  against  Jerusalem,  many 
fled  from  the  city  as  if  it  would  be  taken  presently  :  and  after 

*  Lend,  ed.,  1  vol.  8vo. ;  reprinted  at  Phila.,  1850. 


132  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

his  retreat,  many  of  the  noble  Jews  departed  out  of  the  city, 
as  out  of  a  sinking  ship,"  &c.  The  reference  is  to  War,  B.  2, 
c.  19,  s.  6.  Now  this  reference  does  not  sustain  the  position 
assumed ;  for,  (1.)  Josephus  is  not  speaking  of  Christians  at 
all,  but  of  a  very  different  class  of  persons  ;  and,  (2.)  he  is  not 
speaking  of  what  was  done,  "  when  Cestius  Gallus  advanced 
to  besiege  Jerusalem,"  and  "  came  with  his  army  against  Je- 
rusalem ; "  but  of  what  was  done  after  the  city  had  been  besieged, 
and  when  the  citizens  thought  the  place  was  about  to  be  taken. 
"And  now  it  was  that  a  horrible  fear  seized  upon  the  SEDITIOUS, 
insomuch  that  many  of  them  ran  out  of  the  city,  as  though  it 
were  to  be  taken  immediately."  But  what  has  this  to  do  with 
the  point  at  issue  ?  It  neither  relates  to  the  time,  nor  to  the 
characters,  which  Newton's  use  of  the  quotation  supposes. 

Newton  also  refers  to  two  other  periods,  subsequent  to  the 
first,  when  he  supposes  the  opportunity  was  given  to  the 
Christians  to  begin  their  flight.  The  first  reference  is  to  "War, 
B.  2,  c.  20,  s.  1. :  "After  this  calamity  had  befallen  Cestius, 
many  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  Jews  swam  away  from  the 
city,  as  from  a  ship  when  it  was  going  to  sink."  Now  it  is  by 
no  means  certain,  and  but  barely  possible,  that  this  was  the 
time  of  the  flight ;  for  it  is  exceedingly  unlikely  that  Josephus 
would  speak  of  Christians  as  "  the  most  eminent  of  the  Jews." 
And  what  stands  in  connection  with  the  quotation,  renders 
the  inference  still  less  probable.  The  third  quotation  is  still 
less  relevant  than  the  former :  "War,  B.  4,  c.  8,  s.  2  :  "  Here- 
upon a  great  multitude  prevented  their  approach,  and  came 
out  of  Jericho,  and  fled  to  those  mountainous  parts  over 
against  Jerusalem,"  &c. 

Now,  observe,  (1.)  That  this  happened  several  years  after 
the  former  ;  so  that  if  the  signal  for  beginning  the  flight  had 
appeared  so  long  before,  as  the  former  quotations  were  de- 
signed to  prove,  then  there  could  be  no  probability  in  the 
supposition  that  these  fugitives  were  such  as  were  guided  by 
the  prediction  of  Christ.  Everything  favors  the  conclusion 
that  they  were  not  Christians,  but  Jews  merely,  who  had  been 
engaged  in  the  war,  until  further  efforts  were  deemed  to  be 
hopeless*  And  observe,  (2.)  That  the  flight  of  the  multitude 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  133 

here  alluded  to,  happened  near  the  dose  of  the  war,  when  "  all 
the  places  beyond  Jordan  had  been  subdued  already ; "  and 
when  the  whole  country  north,  south,  and  west,  had  been  rav- 
aged by  the  Komans.  This  flight  of  the  multitude  from  Jeri- 
cho was  several  years  too  late  in  the  war  for  Christians  to 
escape  the  calamities,  as  the  Lord  undoubtedly  designed  they 
should  by  giving  them  such  a  definite  signal.  Furthermore, 
observe,  (3.)  That  Jerusalem  was  not  then,  and  for  several 
years  had  not  been,  "  compassed  with  armies"  standing  in  the 
holy  place,  or  in  its  immediate  vicinity.  So  much  for  these 
quotations. 

From  this  utterly  abortive  attempt  of  Newton  to  show  from 
Josephus  the  particular  time  which  the  Lord  had  in  view,  in 
directing  the  period  of  the  flight,  we  must  be  impressed  with 
these  two  things  :  1.  The  difficulty  of  determining  the  precise 
period:  2.  The  irrelevancy  and  insufficiency  of  these  standard 
references  to  ancient  history. 

We  have  another  example  of  the  same  kind  in  Dr.  Clarke's 
Commentary  on  verse  13,  of  the  chapter  before  us :  "  It  is 
very  remarkable  that  not  a  single  Christian  perished  in  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  though  there  were  many  there  when 
Gestius  Gallus  invested  the  city ;  and  had  he  persevered  in  the 
siege,  he  would  have  soon  rendered  himself  master  of  it ;  but 
when  he  unexpectedly  and  unaccountably  raised  the  siege, 
the  Christians  took  that  opportunity  to  escape.  See  Eusebius 
Hist.  Eccles.  B.  3,  c.  5,  and  Mr.  Reading's  note  there ;  and  see 
also  the  note  here  on  verse  20." 

Now,  it  is  certain  that  Eusebius  does  not,  in  the  place  re- 
ferred to,  speak  of  Cestius  at  all ;  neither  does  he  speak  of  the 
time  when  the  Christians  took  their  flight ;  but  simply  states 
the  fact  of  their  escape.  If  anything  respecting  the  time  can 
be  inferred  from  Eusebius,  it  will  be  totally  inapplicable,  and 
directly  at  variance  with  the  Doctor's  use  of  him  ;  for  Eusebius 
understood  our  Lord  to  speak  of  the  time  when  "  the  abomi- 
nation of  desolation,  according  to  the  prophetic  declaration, 
stood  in  the  very  temple  of  God"  But  this  did  not  take  place 
until  several  years  after  the  attack  made  ~by  Cestius,  to  which 
Dr.  Clarke  refers.  And,  furthermore,  it  was  not  until  about 


134  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

the  end  of  the  war  ;  and  yet  it  was  to  be  the  signal  for  begin- 
ning the  flight,  in  order  to  escape  the  calamities  of  the  war ! 

It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  Bishop  Newton  refers  to  this 
very  place  in  Eusebius,  not  to  prove  that  the  flight  occurred 
at  the  approach  or  retreat  of  Cestius ;  but  to  show  that  it  took 
place  several  years  afterwards,  "  when  Vespasian  was  drawing 
his  forces  toward  Jerusalem ! "  Well,  we  know  that  even  this 
was  some  time  previous  to  the  final  siege  of  the  city  ;  and,  of 
course,  still  longer  before  the  abomination  of  desolation  "stood 
in  the  very  temple  of  God,"  as  Eusebius  understood  it ;  for 
this  did  not  occur  until  the  close  of  the  war  under  Titus  !  So 
much  for  the  agreement,  relevancy,  and  value  of  these  stand- 
ard historical  references  !  This  will  do  for  the  present :  there 
will  be  more  examples  hereafter. 

Dr.  Clarke  and  Bishop  Newton  both  suppose  that  the  sig- 
nal by  which  the  Christians  were  to  regulate  their  flight,  was 
displayed  at  different  times  during  the  war ;  and,  consequently, 
that  the  flight  may  have  occurred  at  different  times.  The 
Doctor  supposes  "  It  was  in  these  incidental  delays  that  the 
Christians,  and  indeed  several  others,  provided  for  their  own 
safety  by  flight."  And  the  Bishop  extends  the  time  from  the 
approach  of  Cestius,  at  the  first  siege,  to  the  approach  of  Ves- 
pasian, a  year  or  two  afterward.  Eusebius  does  not  fix  the 
date  of  the  flight ;  but  speaks  of  the  Christians  removing  from 
Jerusalem,  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  it  easy  to  infer  that  they 
escaped  the  miseries  of  the  war,  and,  consequently,  that  it 
must  have  been  at  an  early  period.  His  words  are,  (£.  3,  c. 
5,)  "  The  whole  body,  however,  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem, 
having  been  commanded  by  a  divine  revelation,  given  to  men 
of  approved  piety  there  before  the  war,  removed  from  the 
city,  and  dwelt  at  a  certain  town  beyond  the  Jordan,  called 
Pella.  Here,  those  that  believed  in  Christ,  having  removed 
from  Jerusalem,  as  if  holy  men  had  entirely  abandoned  the 
royal  city  itself,  and  the  whole  land  of  Judea,"  &c. 

Now,  whatever  may  have  been  the  signal,  it  is  evident  that 
it  was  something  definite,  easily  and  generally  understood, 
and  designed  to  arouse  the  believers  to  an  instant  flight  from 
every  part  of  the  land,  as  well  as  from  the  capital  city.  Those 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  135 

upon  the  house-top  were  admonished  not  to  delay  long  enough 
even  to  go  down  into  the  house  to  take  anything  away. 
There  was  such  pressing  haste  that  it  would  be  hazardous  to 
return  from  the  field,  to  get  the  garment  that  could  not  be 
worn  conveniently  as  they  went  forth  to  labor.  This  signal 
to  begin  the  flight  must  have  been  some  definite,  suddenly, 
and  distinctly  appearing  signal,  which  would  instantaneously 
admonish  them  when  the  precise  moment  had  come.  There 
can  be  no  mistake  in  this.  But  does  this  agree  with  the  sup- 
positions above  noticed,  where  the  two  excellent  authors  seem 
to  find  evidences  that  the  signal  and  the  flight  occurred  at 
various  intervals  during  the  war,  even  down  so  late  as  the 
flight  of  the  multitude  from  Jericho,  on  the  approach  of  Ves- 
pasian f  Could  a  signal  that  was  designed  to  excite  such 
general  and  breathless  haste,  be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  occur 
at  intervals,  and  be  several  years  in  having  its  complete 
fulfillment? 

It  is  possible,  after  all,  to  throw  some  light  upon  this  inter- 
esting subject.  But,  in  doing  so,  the  Scriptures  must  be  our 
principal  source  of  information. 

To  know  what  the  signal  was,  let  it  be  observed,  (1.)  That 
it  was  "  the  abomination  of  desolation  spoken  of  by  Daniel 
the  prophet,  standing  in  the  holy  place,  where  it  ought  not." 
And  our  Saviour  himself*  defines  it  to  be  in  some  way  asso- 
ciated with  "  Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies."  By  turning 
to  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  chapter  ix.  26,  we  find  what  OUT 
Lord  probably  had  in  view  :  "And  the  people  of  the  prince 
that  shall  come,  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary ;  and 
the  end  thereof  shall  be  with  a  flood ;  and  unto  the  end  of 
the  war  desolations  are  determined.  27.  And  he  shall  con- 
firm the  covenant  with  many  for  one  week :  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  to 
cease,  and  for  the  overspreading  of  abominations,  he  shall 
make  it  desolate,  even  until  the  consummation,  and  that  de- 
termined shall  be  poured  upon  the  desolate."  In  chapter  xii. 
11,  we  have  another  reference  to  the  same  thing  :  "And  from 

*  See  the  Harmony,  or  the  passage  at  the  head  of  this  chapter. 


136  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

the  time  that  the  daily  sacrifice  shall  be  taken  away,  and  the 
abomination  that  maketh  desolate  set  up,"  &c. 

Now,  without  the  history  of  the  fulfillment  of  what  has 
already  been  accomplished,  it  would  probably  be  very  difficult 
to  understand  this  prophecy  to  which  Christ  referred.  And, 
even  now,  there  are  some  expressions  which  we  may  not  be 
able  to  comprehend.  But,  favored  with  a  subsequent  parallel 
prediction,  and  a  subsequent  history,  we  may  safely  conclude 
that  the,  "  city  and  the  sanctuary  "  that  were  to  be  destroyed, 
were  Jerusalem  and  its  temple.  And,  by  "  the  people  of  the 
prince,"  we  should  understand  the  Romans.  "  The  end  there- 
of shall  be  with  a  flood ;  and  unto  the  end  of  the  war  desola- 
tions are  determined,"  probably  indicates  that,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  "  the  people  of  the  prince  "  would  come  in  com- 
paratively small  numbers ;  but,  in  "  the  end  thereof,"  they 
would  come  in  much  greater  numbers :  they  would  overflow 
like  a  flood.  "And  unto  the  end  of  the  war  desolations  are 
determined,"  seems  to  indicate  that,  from  the  small  beginnings, 
there  should  continue  to  flow  a  full  tide  of  desolations,  until 
the  whole  land  should  be  made  desolate.  "  The  daily  sacrifice" 
was  to  be  "taken  away,"  and  "  the  abomination  of  desolation 
set  up." 

The  first  part  of  this  prediction  would  of  course  be  accom- 
plished, when  the  sanctuary  was  destroyed  ;  and  the  setting 
up  of  the  abomination  of  desolation  may  refer  to  the  planting 
of  the  idolatrous  Roman  ensigns  in  the  courts  of  the  temple, 
where  Jehovah  had  recorded  his  name.  But  when  was  this 
accomplished  ?  There  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  kind 
during  the  administration  of  Pontius  Pilate,  which  occasioned 
a  tremendous  commotion  among  the  Jews.  See  Josephus, 
Ant.  B.  18,  c.  3,  s.  1.  But  this  instance  of  setting  up  the 
abomination  in  the  holy  place  occurred  at  too  early  a  period 
to  have  been  the  one  alluded  to  by  Christ.  Besides,  it  was 
not  connected  with  the  other  circumstances  which  should 
attend  the  instance  described  by  him.  The  most  noted  in- 
stance that  happened  subsequently,  was,  when  Titus  took  and 
destroyed  the  lower  city,  and  the  holy  house  was  burned. 
"And  now  the  Romans,  upon  the  flight  of  the  seditious  into 


HABMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  137 

the  [upper]  city,  and  upon  the  burning  of  the  holy  house 
itself,  and  of  all  the  buildings  round  about  it,  brought  their 
ensigns  to  the  tern/pie^  and  set  them  over  against  the  eastern 
gate ;  and  there  they  offered  sacrifices  to  them"  War,  B.  6, 
c.  6,  s.  1. 

Now  this  instance  of  setting  up  the  abomination  in  the  holy 
place,  "  where  it  ought  not,"  occurred  when  the  daily  sacrifice 
was  permanently  taken  away  ;  for  the  place  of  sacrificing  was 
itself  destroyed.  But,  notwithstanding,  this  could  not  have 
been  the  setting  up  of  the  abomination  which  the  Lord  had 
in  view ;  for  it  was  now  too  late  for  the  Christians  either  to 
avoid  ttye  war  in  the  country,  or  the  siege  in  the  city,  since 
the  transaction  took  place  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Were  it  not 
for  this  single  consideration,  the  exact  correspondency  of  this 
event  with  the  prediction  by  Daniel,  would  render  it  quite 
certain  that  it  was  the  precise  period  which  Christ  had  in 
view,  as  the  signal  for  the  Christians'  flight. 

These  various  considerations  appear  to  make  it  almost  cer- 
tain, that  the  disciples  beheld  the  watched-for  signal  for  begin- 
ning their  flight,  at  the  time  that  Cestius  so  unexpectedly 
retreated  from  the  city.  But  it  must  be  evident  that  our 
reasons  for  this  conclusion  are  founded  less  in  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  signal,  as  described  by  the  Lord,  than  in  the  appro- 
priateness of  the  time.  Those  who  venture  to  assert  anything 
on  this  subject,  ought  not  to  be  very  positive  ;  and  those  who 
undertake  to  prove  it  by  references  to  ancient  history,  under- 
take —  as  we  have  already  shown  —  a  very  difficult  thing. 

There  are  three  considerations  which  render  the  common 
conviction  in  reference  to  the  time  of  the  flight  quite  probable 
—  perhaps  certain.  1.  The  retreat  of  Cestius  happened  at  the 
right  time  for  Christians  to  escape,  so  as  to  avoid  the  miseries 
of  the  war.  "When  the  invader  fled  from  the  city,  there  was 
no  hindrance  from  without  to  prevent  their  escape.  And 
when  the  Jewish  warriors  rushed  out  in  pursuit,  there  was 
probably  nothing  within  the  city  to  prevent  the  escape.  Per- 
haps this  was  the  only  moment  during  the  whole  war  when 

*  The  walls,  of  course,  were  still  standing. 


138  HAEMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

both  the  parties  that  might  have  prevented  the  flight,  were 
situated  so  as  to  offer  no  impediment.  2.  As  this  hasty  re- 
treat and  instant  pursuit  were  wholly  unlocked  for  by  any  of 
the  people,  and  probably  began  in  a  moment  of  unaccountable 
panic  on  the  part  of  the  Romans,  the  Christians  would  very 
properly  seize  upon  that  instant  to  obey  their  Lord's  direction, 
not  knowing  how  soon  the  Romans,  or  the  Jewish  warriors, 
might  return.  And  at  that  moment,  probably,  the  gates  were 
neither  shut  nor  guarded.  And  this  may  satisfactorily  account 
for  the  urgency  and  rapidity  of  the  flight.  And  it  may  be  ob- 
served, too,  as  an  important  circumstance,  that  the  retreat  of 
Cestius  was  down  the  north-western  way  to  the  coast,  leaving 
unguarded  the  road  by  Jericho  across  the  river,  for  the  Chris- 
tians to  escape  to  the  mountains  east  of  Jordan.  3.  Something 
may  be  offered,  likewise,  in  relation  to  one  of  the  signs  which 
were  to  apprise  them  when  to  flee  to  the  hills :  Jerusalem  was 
to  be  encompassed  with  armies.  True,  it  was  not  so  at  that 
moment ;  for  if  it  had  been,  how  could  they  have  escaped  ? 
But  then  it  had  been  surrounded ;  and  as  soon  as  this  part  of 
the  signal  was  fulfilled,  the  disciples  probably  understood  that 
the  time  had  arrived ;  and  they  may  have  been  seriously 
embarrassed  with  the  impracticability  of  obeying  the  Lord's 
admonition.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  it  became  a  subject  of  in- 
quiry, debate,  and  prayer.  The  signal  was  displayed ;  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  seemed  to  sound  in  their  ears,  Escape  to  the 
mountains ;  but  how  could  they  obey  him  ?  "  Jerusalem  was 
compassed  with  armies :"  the  very  signal  to  flee  prevented 
their  flight.  To  endeavor  to  desert  to  the  Romans  would  in- 
sure death  from  the  Jews ;  and  to  try  to  escape  in  any  other 
way  would  insure  death  from  the  Romans.  Besides,  supposing 
that  the  more  courageous  and  athletic  of  the  Christian  men 
should  succeed  in  spite  of  both  Jew  and  Roman ;  what  would 
become  of  the  women  and  children  f  "Would  a  Christian  hus- 
band and  father  flee  from  danger  and  suffering,  and  leave  his 
family  without  his  presence  and  protection  ?  Did  our  Saviour 
give  such  direction  to  escape,  and  foresee  no  appropriate  op- 
portunity? "  Stand  still,"  O  ye  believing,  watching,  yet  trem- 
bling saints,  and  "  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord ! "  The  time 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  139 

of  flight  has  come.  Prepare  your  families  for  the  escape. 
Understand  among  yourselves  how  and  where  to  go.  Post 
your  sentinels  upon  the  house-tops,  and  wait  and  listen  for  the 
moment  to  flee.  All  appearances  are  against  you ;  but  the 
word  of  the  Lord  is  sure :  wait  in  readiness ;  wait  in  faith. 
Hark !  do  you  hear  that  tumult  ?  Is  it  the  battle  cry  of  the 
Romans  as  they  break  into  the  temple  ?  Nay,  verily :  they 
retreat !  they  retreat !  The  Jews  rush  out  in  disorder  after 
them !  They  pause  not  to  close  the  gates !  The  highway  to 
the  hills  is  open !  Fly !  fly  to  the  mountains !  Christian 
father,  bear  the  youngest  on  your  bosom  ;  lead  the  feeble  by 
the  hand :  the  God  of  the  individual  is  the  God  of  the  family ; 
ye  may  all  escape  together. 

And  it  may  be  observed,  furthermore,  that  "  the  abomina- 
tion that  maketh  desolate,"  if  it  referred  to  the  ensigns  of  the 
Romans,  was  at  that  time  seen  to  "  stand  in  the  holy  place, 
where  it  ought  not."  For  Cestius  had  just  then  succeeded  in 
making  his  way  to  the  very  gates  of  the  temple,  and  seemed 
on  the  very  point  of  breaking  in.  And,  if  the  symbols  of 
idolatry  were  not  set  up  within  the  very  shadow  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, at  least  the  idolaters  were  there,  and  were  battering  the 
very  gates  that  enclosed  it. 

From  this  position  of  progress  and  success,  the  panic-struck 
besieger  desisted  and  fled,  to  the  surprise  of  the  besieged,  and 
to  the  pleasure  and  deliverance  of  the  Christians. 

"  Whoso  readeth,  let  him  understand" 

This  parenthetic  admonition  was  perhaps  spoken  by  our 
Lord  himself ;  not  with  reference  to  the  foreseen  record  of  his 
own  prophecy,  but  to  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  to  which  he 
had  just  referred.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  it  was  added 
by  the  evangelists  Matthew  and  Mark,  and  referred  to  what 
they  had  just  recorded.  It  is  an  unusual  and  remarkable 
addition  to  the  discourse,  whether  spoken  by  Christ,  or  added 
by  the  historians.  The  wisdom  of  the  advice,  however,  is 
quite  evident ;  for,  plain  as  the  matter  may  be  deemed  by 
some,  the  foregoing  observations  have  probably  proved  that 
unusual  attention  must  be  given  to  the  subject,  in  order  to 


14:0  HABMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

understand  it.     This  is  a  principal  reason  for  permitting  it  to 
occupy  so  many  of  these  pages. 

"  Then  know  that  the  desolation  thereof  is  nigh" 
The  ruin  of  the  city,  and  the  destruction  of  the  temple, 
about  which  you  inquire,  will  then  be  nigh  at  hand.  The 
Jews  may,  indeed,  obtain  some  immediate  advantage  over 
their  enemies,  and  chase  them  away ;  and  the  city  may  be 
delivered  from  the  imminent  danger.  But  it  will  be  for  a 
short  time  only ;  for  the  desolation  of  the  city  is  nigh  at  hand. 
The  retreating  Romans  will  soon  return  with  a  still  mightier 
force,  and  overflow  the  land  with  desolation  and  death,  as  the 
prophet  Daniel  has  foretold.  Understand  the  prophecy,  for  it 
applies  to  this  very  thing  ;  and  when  you  behold  the  signal 
which  I  give  you,  remember  that  the  ruin  which  he  foretold, 
and  which  I  foretel,  is  nigh  at  hand. 

"  Then  let  them  which  be  in  Judeaflee  into  the  mountains." 
Do  not  trust  the  appearance  of  the  triumph  which  the  Jews 
may  gain  over  the  Romans,  and  settle  down,  hoping  not  to  be 
molested  again.  When  the  danger  shall  seem  to  be  removed, 
and  men  shall  rejoice,  and  anticipate  an  easy  defence  in  fu- 
ture attacks,  then  do  you  improve  the  opportunity,  and  flee 
into  the  mountains.  Not  only  flee  from  Jerusalem,  but  from 
every  part  of  the  country  ;  for  the  desolation  that  shall  destroy 
the  city,  shall  first  deluge  the  whole  land  :  every  part  shall  be 
laid  waste.  Men  may  cry,  Peace  and  safety ;  but  do  not  be 
deceived  ;  flee  for  your  lives  to  the  mountainous  refuges, 
where  the  destroyer  may  not  pursue  you. 
"Let  them  which  he  in  Judea"  flee. 

As  before  observed,  the  signal  which  was  to  determine  the 
flight  from  the  city,  was  also  designed  to  notify  the  whole 
country.  And  it  may  somewhat  relieve  the  difficulty  in  de- 
termining when  the  specific  signal  appeared,  by  considering 
the  fact,  that  it  was  not  designed  for  the  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
salem only,  but  for  those  in  every  part  of  the  land.  To  those 
living  out  of  Jerusalem  it  would  be  a  favorable  time  for  flight, 
when  the  invading  forces  were  concentrated  about  the  capital. 
They  would  not  then  be  likely  to  obstruct  the  flight  of  such 
as  might  endeavor  to  escape  to  places  of  safety.  The  intense 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  141 

interest  which  the  Jews  felt  for  their  holy  city  and  temple, 
would  lead  them  to  watch  with  sleepless  anxiety  the  progress 
and  positions  of  the  enemy.  The  fact  of  the  siege  of  the  city, 
and  the  success  of  the  besiegers,  would,  in  some  way,  be  per- 
ceived or  understood  by  the  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity ;  and 
the  reports  of  the  case  would  fly  with  almost  telegraphic  des- 
patch to  every  part  of  the  country.  As  soon,  then,  as  it  should 
become  known  that  the  invaders  had  settled  down  about  the 
city,  and  planted  their  standards  for  a  permanent  encamp- 
ment, then  the  disciples  in  Judea  must  begin  their"  flight. 
Then  the  Romans  would  not  be  in  a  situation  to  hinder  them  ; 
and  the  unbelieving  Jews  would  be  much  interested  and  oc- 
cupied with  the  affairs  of  their  beloved  metropolis.  Thus  the 
signal  for  beginning  the  escape  would  answer  for  those  in  the 
country,  as  well  as  for  those  in  the  capital.  There  would  be 
this  difference,  however:  when  Jerusalem  was  compassed 
with  armies,  it  would  indicate  to  those  in  the  country  that 
the  time  had  come  to  "begin  their  flight ;  while,  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  city,  it  would  indicate  that  the  time  had  come, 
and  that  they  must  be  every  moment  on  the  watch  for  the 
opportunity.  This  would  tend  to  keep  them  constantly  in 
readiness,  so  that  the  very  moment  the  Jews  rushed  out  after 
the  retreating  invaders,  (supposing  that  the  flight  occurred  at 
this  time,)  the  Christians  would  perceive  that  the  moment  — 
the  precise  moment  —  had  come,  and  would  be  in  perfect 
readiness  to  improve  it. 

\Luke :  AND  LET  THEM  WHICH  ARE  IN  THE  MIDST  OF  IT  DEPART  OUT  ;  AND  LET  NOT 

THEM  THAT  ARE  IN  THE  COUNTRIES  ENTER  THEREIN.] 

The  connection  of  these  sentences  shows  that  they  refer  to 
the  country  more  particularly  than  to  the  metropolis.  How- 
ever safe  the  country  may  appear,  when  the  Romans  are  con- 
centrated about  Jerusalem,  or  when  they  are  chased  out  of 
Judea,  yet  do  not  let  those  who  may  then  be  in  the  neighbor- 
ing countries  venture  to  enter  the  ill-fated  territory.  There 
were  many  inducements  which  would  be  likely  to  draw  the 
neighboring  people  into  the  dangerous  region ;  such  as,  (1.) 
The  romantic,  as  well  as  religious,  attachment  which  the  peo- 


14:2  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

pie — both  Jews  and  Christians — felt  for  the  land  of  their 
fathers,  and  which  tended  always  to  draw  them  as  frequently 
as  possible  to  visit  the  land  of  promise.  (2.)  The  great  festi- 
vals which  occurred  with  frequency,  and  which  the  Jews  from 
all  parts  of  the  world  naturally  desired  to  attend,  would  — 
unless  they  were  admonished  of  th  *  danger  —  bring  vast  mul- 
titudes into  the  country.  (3.)  Pet  haps,  also,  the  scarcity  of 
provisions  resulting  from  the  unsettled  condition  of  the  coun- 
try, might  induce  many  to  i  orne  thither  for  a  market.  (4.) 
Some  of  the  great  thoroughfares  between  the  northern  and 
southern  countries  led  directly  through  Judea ;  and,  without 
previous  warning,  the  people  would  be  likely  to  continue 
their  journeys  through  that  country  as  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  do.  (5.)  And  it  is  evident  that  there  could  be  no 
sufficient  occasion  for  Christians  to  enter  Judea  at  that  time, 
for  the  purpose  of  preaching  the  gospel ;  for,  first,  The  minds 
of  the  unbelieving  Jews  would  not  be  favorably  disposed,  at 
such  a  time,  for  hearing  and  obeying  the  doctrines  of  Jesus. 
And,  secondly,  God  had  provided  expressly  for  the  publication 
of  the  gospel  in  that  country,  before  it  was  proclaimed  else- 
where ;  and  the  day  of  especial  privilege  for  that  people  would 
now  be  past. 

There  would  be  two  principal  reasons  for  not  coming  into 
the  country  at  that  juncture,  even  should  the  invaders  be 
driven  away  :  They  would  soon  return  again  with  greatly  in- 
creased numbers,  to  ravage  and  desolate  the  land.  And, 
again,  the  moment  they  should  be  driven  away,  the  Jews,  in 
expectation  of  their  return,  would  be  everywhere  occupied  in 
organizing  their  armies,  manufacturing  armor,  and  fortifying 
their  cities.  And  they  would  desire  to  press  into  these  services 
every  man  they  could  lay  hold  of.  And  if  the  Christians  did 
not  escape  before  this  juncture,  it  would  be  difficult  for  them 
to  do  so.  That  such  were  the  facts  in  the  case,  is  particularly 
shown  in  the  second  Appendix. 

Thus  the  two-fold  admonition  to  those  living  within  Judea. 
and  those  living  without  it,  was  equally  important  in  both  of 
its  parts.  And  it  should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  this  prophecy 
of  Christ  soon  became  distributed,  and  was  in  the  hands  of 


HAItMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  143 

Christians  in  all  parts  of  the  world  ;  so  that  these  specific  di- 
rections of  our  Saviour  not  only  served  to  show  his  people 
how  to  shun  the  calamities  of  the  war,  by  fleeing  from  the 
country,  but  also  by  keeping  away,  if  they  were  not  at  the 
time  residing  there. 

Verge  17 :  LET  HIM  WHICH  IB  ON  THE  HOUSE  TOP  NOT  COME  DOWN  TO  TAKE  ANT 

THING  OUT  OF  HIS  HOUSE. 

"We  cannot,  perhaps,  perceive  any  reason  for  this  breathless 
haste  for  those  who  dwelt  in  the  country  ;  but  it  has  already 
been  shown  that  those  in  Jerusalem  would  be  watching  for 
the  moment  when  to  begin  their  flight.  And  nothing  would 
be  more  natural  than  to  be  observing  the  progress  of  the  siege 
from  the  house-tops.  From  that  position  they  could  witness 
the  sudden  retreat  of  Cestius,  and  the  tumultuous  rushing  forth 
of  the  Jewish  warriors  in  the  pursuit.  And,  in  the  case  of  the 
Christians,  there  would  be  a  necessity  for  this  urgency,  that 
would  render  it  improper  to  delay  even  to  go  down  into  the 
house  for  the  purpose  of  taking  anything  away.  They  would 
undoubtedly  be  clothed  sufficiently  to  protect  them  in  that 
season  of  the  year ;  and  the  less  they  carried,  the  more  easy 
and  expeditious  their  flight.  Besides,  as  the  house-tops  gen- 
erally extended  in  almost  unbroken  connection,  they  could  flee, 
without  coming  down,  to  the  outer  avenues  and  walls  of  the 
city.  And  they  would  be  likely,  probably,  to  meet  with  less 
interruption  in  their  passage  over  the  house-tops,  than  in  the 
streets,  which  would  be  likely  to  be  crowded  at  such  a  crisis, 
and  less  convenient  for  the  flight.  The  counsel,  not  to  take 
anything  out  of  the  house,  to  carry  with  them,  possibly  may 
not  refer  to  articles  of  clothing,  but  to  such  valuables  of  other 
kinds  as  they  might  desire  to  carry  with  them. 

Ver.se  18.  NEITHER  LET  HIM  WHICH  is  IN  THE  FIELD  RETURN  BACK  TO  TAKE  HIS 
CLOTHES. 


It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  this  could  apply  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Jerusalem,  at  this  specific  period ;  but  as  the  admo- 
nitions were  equally  addressed  to  those  who  would  be  residing 
in  the  country  places,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  was 


144  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

intended  for  them,  for  at  this  time  they  would  not  be  hindered 
by  the  invading  army. 

In  some  places  in  the  country  they  would  still  be  quietly 
pursuing  their  ordinary  labors  in  the  field,  not  anticipating, 
perhaps,  any  immediate  danger.  Leaving,  as  was  usual  in 
such  cases,  their  heavy  outer  garments  at  home,  they  would 
go  into  the  fields  to  labor,  having  on  only  the  more  closely 
fitting  raiment  that  would  not  encumber  their  motions.  But 
they  undoubtedly  understood,  and  intended  to  obey,  the  admo- 
nition of  the  Lord,  to  flee  for  their  lives  at  the  appointed 
time ;  and  were  only  waiting  to  learn  the  precise  period  for 
beginning  their  flight.  Not  expecting  it  that  day,  they  would 
go  forth  into  the  fields. 

But,  while  in  the  fields,  the  intelligence  arrives  that  the 
Romans  are  encamped  about  Jerusalem;  their  ensigns  are 
gleaming  from  Mount  Scopus  ;  the  legions  are  set  in  battle 
array.  Sudden  and  unexpected  as  the  intelligence  may  be, 
at  that  moment,  yet  those  who  believe  the  word  of  Christ 
understand  that  the  moment  has  come  to  escape  to  the  moun- 
tains. Dropping  the  implements  of  labor,  they  abandon  all, 
and  flee.  We  may  suppose  that  those  living  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  metropolis,  and  can  watch  the  progress  of  the  invaders, 
first  begin  the  flight.  As  they  proceed  through  the  country, 
they  give  the  alarm  to  such  as  they  happen  to  meet,  until 
finally  it  becomes  generally  understood  by  the  Christians, 
and  there  is  a  general  escape.  May  we  not  also  suppose,  that, 
as  they  were  expecting  the  signal  about  these  times,  though 
unable  before  hand  to  determine  the  hour  or  the  day,  they 
had  made  arrangements  among  themselves,  T>y  which  they 
might  all  he  duly  notified  ?  To  suppose  otherwise,  would  be 
supposing  that  the  Christians  of  that  day  were  without  even 
common  prudence  and  sagacity.  Yet  they  were  at  this  time 
regularly  organized  into  societies,  and  had  all  appropriate 
officers  and  regulations  for  self-government  and  extension. 
"Without  greatly  disparaging  them,  we  cannot  suppose  they 
were  either  ignorant  or  heedless  of  so  important  a  matter  as 
this  prediction  and  counsel  of  the  Lord.  To  say  nothing  of 
piety,  even  the  common  principle  of  self-preservation  would 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  14  S 

sufficiently  prompt  all  who  had  confidence  in  the  wisdom  of 
their  Lord. 

How  would  any  intelligent  association  of  people  act  in  a 
case  like  this  ?  Would  they  not  carefully  consider,  and  en- 
deavor to  understand,  the  admonitions  that  were  designed  to 
preserve  them  ?  Would  they  not  have  an  understanding 
among  themselves,  i  n  relation  to  the  manner  of  escaping,  and 
the  place  of  final  rendezvous  ?  And  as  those  who  might  be 
in  the  fields  at  the  lirne  to  begin  the  flight,  were  warned  not 
to  return  for  their  garments,  can  we  suppose  they  were  so 
destitute  of  both  intelligence  and  affection,  as  not  to  have 
made  provision  for  the  escape  of  their  families,  and  for  a 
future  assembling  1  After  making  the  time  and  the  method 
of  escape  a  matter  of  conference,  reading,  and  (verse  20) 
prayer,  as  would  be  very  natural,  would  they  go  to  the  fields 
to  labor,  with  no  certainty — and  in  case  of  hearing  of  the 
signal  —  with  no  permission,  of  returning,  and  yet  have  made 
no  provision  for  the  escape  of  the  families  at  home  ?  Impos- 
sible. 

How  could  the  Christian  husband  and  father,  in  these  cir- 
cumstances, go  to  his  distant  labor  in  the  fields,  and  be  so 
intent  on  making  his  own  escape,  as  to  leave  his  wife  and 
little  ones  to  perish  at  home?  No  doubt  when  the  pious 
parent  presented  his  family  to  the  care  of  God  in  his  morning 
worship,  he  made  this  subject  one  of  the  fervent  themes  of 
supplication  ;  and  when  he  gave  them  his  morning  adieu,  and 
went  into  the  fields,  he  was  assured,  from  previous  arrange- 
ment, that  if  he  should  be  obliged  to  begin  his  flight  before 
returning  home,  he  should  greet  his  family  again  at  the  ap- 
pointed place  of  gathering.  And  why  has  not  this  subject 
been  deemed  worthy  of  a  place  among  the  multitudinous 
themes  of  our  commentaries?  A  little  light  shed  upon  a 
matter  of  this  kind  is  more  congenial  to  the  pious  heart,  and 
more  favorable  to  the  reputation  of  primitive  Christianity, 
than  many  volumes  of  merely  critical  speculations,  and  the 
usual  horrible  details  of  corruption,  carnage,  and  death. 

Are  we  attentive  enough  to  what  some  may  call  the  little 
things  of  history — the  minuter  developments  of  sanctified 
10 


14:6  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

humanity  ?  Is  not  our  knowledge  usually  too  much  addressed 
to  the  head,  and  too  little  to  the  heart?  And  may  not  this  be 
affirmed  too  generally  of  our  standard  biblical  literature? 
Does  it  not  tend  more  to  make  us  merely  learned,  and  criti- 
cal, than  affectionate,  humble,  and  holy  ? 

This  is  the  author's  apology  for  deviating  from  the  beaten 
track  of  Scripture  exegesis  in  so  many  instances ;  and  for 
endeavoring  to  make  the  heart  of  exegetical  theology  pulsate 
with  a  common  feeling,  and  its  countenance  glow  with  a 
familiar  experience. 

[Luke :  FOR  THESE  BE  THE  DAYS  OF  VENGEANCE,  THAT  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  ABB 

WRITTEN  MAY  BE  FULFILLED.] 

In  many  things  the  prophecy  of  Christ  was  strictly  original ; 
but  in  respect  to  some  things  he  merely  affirmed  what  had 
been  uttered  by  the  more  ancient  prophets.  "We  have  noticed 
his  reference  to  a  part  of  the  predictions  of  Daniel ;  and  now 
we  have  a  more  general  allusion  to  the  whole  course  of  ancient 
prophecy.  Much  of  the  prophecy  of  Moses,  and  several 
other  of  the  principal  prophets,  appears  to  point  to  the  deso- 
lation of  the  Jewish  nation  and  country  ;  and  therefore  our 
Lord  distinctly  identifies  the  calamities  of  which  he  was  dis- 
coursing with  those  which  had  been  predicted  by  others. 

" These  be  the  days  of  vengeance" 

There  had  been  other  days  of  vengeance,  when  wrath  was 
poured  out  with  severity  upon  the  Jewish  people.  But  the 
time  of  which  the  Lord  was  now  speaking,  was  "  the  days  of 
vengeance."  These  days  of  vengeance  differed  from  the  for- 
mer in  three  particulars :  1.  The  vengeance  was  more  severe. 
2.  It  was  of  longer  continuance  ;  so  much  so,  that  it  was  to 
last  until  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  should  come  in  ;  thus 
extending  through  many  centuries,  and  reaching  forward  even 
beyond  the  present  time.  3.  And  let  it  be  observed  particu- 
larly, these  days  of  vengeance  of  which  he  was  then  speaking, 
were  to  continue  until  "  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  ABE  WRITTEN  MAY 


BE  FULFILLED." 


To  notice  this  appropriately  is  of  vast  importance  to  a  true 
exposition  of  this,  discourse.    The  Roman  war,  and  even  the 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  147 

fatal  siege,  were  but  the  commencement  of  those  predicted 
days  of  vengeance.  He  who  ventures  to  limit  our  Lord's 
prediction  to  the  term  of  a  few  years,  already  long  since  past, 
assumes  a  responsibility  which  the  author  dare  not  covet. 
Popular,  or  unpopular,  hazardous,  or  unhazardous,  the  author 
of  this  Treatise  is  fully  determined  to  "  speak  as  the  oracles 
of  God."  If  Moses,  or  Isaiah,  or  Jeremiah,  or  Ezekiel,  or 
Daniel,  or  any  other  of  the  prophets,  has  written  of  calami- 
ties which  the  Jews  yet  suffer,  or  are  yet  to  endure,  as  a 
people,  then  let  it  be  distinctly  understood,  and  remembered 
for  future  use,  THAT  THOSE  AFORE  PREDICTED  AFFLICTIONS  WERE 

INCLUDED  BY  OUR  LORD  WITHIN  THOSE  DAYS  OF  VENGEANCE  WHICH 

BEGAN  WITH  THE  ROMAN  WAR.  And  our  Lord  distinctly 
affirms  that  the  days  of  vengeance  of  which  he  was  speaking, 
were  to  last  "  UNTIL  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  ARE  WRITTEN  MAY  BE 
FULFILLED."  Reader,  do  not  forget  this  :  it  will  have  much 
to  do  with  several  portions  of  the  Exposition. 

Now,  as  a  specimen  of  what  has  been  written  by  the 
prophets,  read  attentively  Deuteronomy  from  the  beginning 
of  the  twenty-eighth  chapter.  Much  of  it  still  continues 
unfulfilled  ;  and  will  not  be  accomplished  until  the  final  res- 
toration of  Israel  to  their  father-land,  and  their  father's  God. 

It  should  be  observed,  however,  that  Christ  was  not  now 
describing  the  events  of  this  long  continued  period  of  ven- 
geance ;  but  he  was  now  simply  stating  what  he  more  par- 
ticularly affirms  in  the  24th  verse,  that  the  days  of  vengeance 
which  should  begin  as  he  predicted,  would  continue  for  a 
long  time,  until  all  the  prophecies  concerning  them  had  been 
fulfilled.  But  the  inquiries  of  the  disciples,  and  the  conse- 
quent design  of  the  discourse,  led  him  to  speak  with  especial 
reference  to  that  part  of  those  days  of  vengeance  in  which 
Jerusalem  should  be  destroyed. 

Verse  19.   AND  wo  UNTO  THEM  THAT  ARE  WITH  CHILD,  AND  TO  THEM  THAT  erne 

SUCK  IN  THOSE  DAYS ! 

Not  during  the  whole  period  of  the  days  of  vengeance, 
lasting,  as  we  have  seen,  until  the  fulfillment  of  all  that  had 
been  written ;  but  during  the  time  of  which  he  was  then 


14:8  HARMONY   AND    EXPOSITION. 

particularly  speaking,  in  order  to  adapt  his  discourse  to  the 
object  he  then  had  in  view.  For  reasons  too  evident  to  be 
enlarged  upon,  the  women  who  might  be  in  the  condition  he 
describes,  would  be  subject  to  peculiar  dangers  and  sufferings. 
They  would  neither  be  in  a  condition  to  escape  the  calamities 
of  the  war,  nor  to  endure  them. 

Then  would  be  affectingly  fulfilled  Christ's  own  prediction 
to  the  women  of  Jerusalem,  as  they  wept  and  lamented  over 
him,  as  he  was  led  along  through  the  streets  to  the  cross : 
Lu.  xxiii.  28.  "  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me, 
but  weep  for  yourselves,  and  for  your  children.  For  behold, 
the  days  are  coming,  in  the  which  they  shall  say,  Blessed  are 
the  barren,  and  the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and  the  paps 
which  never  gave  suck."  Josephus  relates  some  instances  of 
the  suffering  of  women  and  children,  which  are  too  horrible 
to  be  repeated  without  necessity. 

Verse  20.  BUT  PRAY  YE  THAT  YOUR  FLIGHT  BE  NOT  IN  THE  WINTER,  NEITHER  ON 
THE  SABBATH  DAY. 

As  there  is  no  probability  whatever  that  the  flight  of  the 
Christians  occurred  so  late  as  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  by  Ti- 
tus; nor  during  the  conduct  of  the  war  by  Yespasian,  when 
Jerusalem  was  not  "compassed  with  armies;"  as  all  the 
probabilities  of  the  case  point  to  the  invasion  and  siege  by 
Cestius,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war ;  there  can  be  no  pro- 
priety in  diverting  attention  from  the  point  in  question,  by 
showing  that  the  approach  of  Vespasian,  and  the  final  siege 
by  Titus,  were  not  in  the  winter.  It  is  sufficient  to  show  that 
Cestius  besieged  the  city  when  the  Jews  were  celebrating  the 
feast  of  Tabernacles,  which  was  in  the  most  pleasant  part  of 
the  year.  It  was  on  the  30th  day  of  Tisri  that  Cestius  brought 
his  army  into  the  lower  city.  Tisri  answers  to  the  latter  part 
of  our  September  and  the  first  part  of  October.  This  would 
be  the  date  for  beginning  the  flight  from  the  country.  It  was 
eight  or  nine  days  after  this  that  Cestius  fled  from  the  city. 
This  was  undoubtedly  the  time  of  flight  from  Jerusalem.  A 
more  favorable  season  of  the  year  could  not  have  been 
selected.  Perhaps  it  is  not  susceptible  of  historical  proof 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  149 

that  the  flight  was  not  on  the  Sabbath.  But  there  is  sufficient 
moral  proof  that  the  prayers  of  the  disciples  were  answered, 
as  well  with  respect  to  the  time  of  the  week,  as  to  the  season 
of  the  year. 

It  would  have  been  unfortunate  for  them  to  begin  their 
flight  on  the  Sabbath  ;  for,  (1.)  The  conscience  of  many  would 
have  been  troubled  on  account  of  the  strictness  with  which 
they  had  been  taught  to  observe  the  Sabbath  day.  And,  2. 
It  is  certain  that  the  Jews  would  have  regarded  their  Sabbath 
traveling  with  offence  ;  and  with  increased  prejudice  against 
the  religion  of  the  disciples.  And,  likewise,  (3.)  The  gates  of 
the  cities  and  villages  would  be  closed  on  that  day,  and  en- 
trance into  them,  or  escape  from  them,  would  be  difficult. 
Besides,  (4.)  If  the  Jews  should  be  disposed  to  hinder  their 
flight  from  the  country,  they  would  —  by  their  Sabbath  trav- 
eling— be  much  more  likely  to  be  suspected  of  fleeing  away, 
because  all  ordinary  travel  on  that  day  was  generally  sus- 
pended. 

The  Jews  of  Jerusalem,  however,  as  we  learn  from  Jose- 
phus,  ( War,  B.  2.  c.  19,)  were  almost  disregardful  of  the 
Sabbath  day,  so  generally  and  so  deeply  had  they  sunk  in 
moral  degradation. 

Mr.  Watson  has  a  good  thought  concerning  this  praying 
about  the  day  of  their  flight :  "  And  were  the  march  of  Ro- 
man armies,  and  the  decisions  of  Roman  councils,  to  be 
interfered  with  in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  a  few  poor  Chris- 
tians ?  Let  philosophy  scoff ;  but  let  faith  adore  ;  so  it  was." 
Prayer  has  much  more  to  do  with  the  destiny  of  nations  and 
man,  than  unbelievers  are  willing  to  acknowledge,  or  even 
Christians  have  power  to  comprehend.  It  was  well,  then,  for 
the  disciples  to  pray  that  their  flight  might  neither  be  in  the 
winter,  nor  on  the  Sabbath  day. 

Verse  21.   FOR  THEN  SHALL  BE  GREAT  TRIBULATION  [Luke:  m  THE  LAND,  AND 

WRATH  UPON  THIS  PEOPLE,]  SUCH  AS  WAS  NOT  SINCE  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WORLD  TO 
THIS  TIME,  NO,  NOR  EVER  SHALL  BE. 

Some  are  disposed  to  consider  this  language  hyperbolical ; 
but  we  should  beware  how  we  charge  our  Lord  with  exaggera- 


150 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


tion.  Mr.  "Watson  observes,  "  This  is  not  a  hyperbolical 
expression ;  for  no  one  can  read  the  narrative  of  the  Jew  Jo- 
sephus, without  acknowledging  that  this  national  calamity 
has  no  parallel.  This  narrative  appears  to  have  been  written 
and  preserved  under  a  special  providence,  of  which  Josephus 
Mmself  was  unconscious,  that  future  times,  in  the  testimony 
of  an  eye-witness,  and  he  not  a  Christian,  might  have  a  full 
and  unexpected  proof  of  the  exact  accomplishment  of  the 
words  of  Christ." 

Josephus  himself  says,  (  Wa/r,  Pref.  s.  4.)  "  Accordingly,  it 
appears  to  me,  that  the  misfortunes  of  all  men,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  if  they  be  compared  to  these  of  the 
Jews,  are  not  so  considerable  as  they  were." 

Some  idea  of  the  unparalleled  sufferings  and  desolations  of 
those  troublous  times,  may  be  obtained  by  considering  merely 
the  statistics  of  the  deaths  that  occurred,-  and  of  the  captives 
that  were  taken,  during  the  war.  Bishop  Newton,  refering 
in  each  instance  to  Josephus,  gives  a  general  summary  of  the 
carnage  and  captivity  of  the  war.  "  Of  those  who  perished 
during  the  whole  siege,  [of  Jerusalem,]  there  were,  as  Jose- 
phus says,  1,100,000.  Many  were  also  slain  at  other  times 
and  in  other  places.  By  the  command  of  Florus,  who  was 
the  first  author  of  the  war,  there  were  slain  at  Jerusalem 
3,600.  By  the  inhabitants  of  Cesarea  above  20,000.  At 
Scythopolis  above  13,000 ;  at  Ascalon,  2,500  ;  at  Ptolemais, 
2,000 ;  at  Alexandria,  under  Tiberius  Alexander  the  presi- 
dent, 50,000  ;  at  Joppa,  when  it  was  taken  by  Cestius  Gallus, 
8,400 ;  in  a  mountain  called  Asamon,  near  Sepphoris,  above 
2,000 ;  at  Damascus,  10,000  ;  in  a  battle  with  the  Romans  at 
Ascalon,  10,000  ;  in  an  ambuscade  near  the  same  place,  8,000  ; 
at  Japha,  15,000 ;  of  the  Samaritans  upon  Mount  Gerizim, 
11,600 ;  at  Jotapata,  40,000 ;  at  Joppa,  when  taken  by  Yes- 
pasian,  4,200 ;  at  Tarichea,  6,500  ;  after  the  city  was  taken, 
1,200 ;  at  Gamala,  4,000  slain ;  besides  5,000  who  threw 
themselves  down  a  precipice ;  of  those  who  fled  with  John 
of  Gishcala,  6,000 ;  of  the  Gadarenes,  15,000  slain,  besides 
an  infinite  number  drowned ;  in  the  villages  of  Idumea,  above 
10,000  slain  ;  at  Gerasa,  1,000  ;  at  Macherus,  1,700  ;  in  the 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  151 

wood  of  Jardes,  3,000 ;  in  the  castle  of  Masada,  960 ;  in 
Gyrene  by  Catullus  the  governor,  3,000.  Besides  these,  many 
of  every  age,  sex,  and  condition,  were  slain  in  the  war,  who 
were  not  reckoned  ;  but  of  these  who  are  reckoned,  the  num- 
ber amounts  to  above  1,357,660 ;  which  would  appear  almost 
incredible,  if  their  own  historian  had  not  so  particularly  enu- 
merated them.  But  besides  the  Jews  who  ;  fell  by  the  edge 
of  the  sword,'  others  were  also  to  be  '  led  captive  into  all 
nations ; '  and  considering  the  number  of  the  slain,  the  num- 
ber of  the  captives  too  was  very  great.  There  were  taken 
particularly  at  Japha,  2,130  ;  at  Jotapata,  1,200  ;  at  Tarichea, 
6,000  chosen  young  men  were  sent  to  Nero,  the  rest  sold  to  the 
number  of  30,400  ;  besides  those  who  were  given  to  Agrippa; 
of  the  Gadareness,  2,200  ;  in  Idumea  above  1,000. 

"  Many  besides  these  were  taken  at  Jerusalem,  so  that,  as 
Josephus  himself  informs  us,  the  number  of  the  captives 
taken  in  the  whole  war  amounted  to  97,000 ;  the  tall  and 
handsome  young  men  Titus  reserved  for  his  triumph  ;  of  the 
rest,  those  above  seventeen  years  of  age  were  sent  to  the 
works  in  Egypt ;  but  most  were  distributed  through  the  Ko- 
man  provinces,  to  be  destroyed  in  their  theatres  by  the  sword 
or  by  wild  beasts ;  those  under  seventeen  were  sold  for  slaves. 

"  Of  the  captives  many  underwent  hard  fate.  11,000  of 
them  perished  for  want.  Titus  exhibited  all  sorts  of  shows 
and  spectacles  at  Cesarea,  and  many  of  the  captives  were 
there  destroyed,  some  being  exposed  to  the  wild  beasts,  and 
others  compelled  to  fight  in  troops  against  one  another.  At 
Cesarea,  too,  in  honor  of  his  brother's  birth-day,  2,500  Jews 
were  slain  ;  and  a  great  number  likewise  at  Berytus  in  honor 
of  his  father's.  The  like  was  done  in  other  cities  of  Syria. 
Those  whom  he  reserved  for  his  triumph  were  Simon  and 
John,  the  generals  of  the  captives,  and  seven  hundred  others 
of  remarkable  stature  and  beauty.  Thus  were  the  Jews  mis- 
erably tormented,  and  distributed  over  the  Koman  provinces ; 
and  are  they  not  still  distressed  and  dispersed  over  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  ? "  (Newton  on  the  Prophecies,  p.  365.) 

Of  their  sufferings  from  continual  alarms,  from  fatal  accidents 
and  diseases,  from  terrible  famine,  from  ghastly  wounds,  from 


152  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

cold,  heat,  weariness  and  bereavement,  it  is  impossible  to 
express  or  imagine.  Josephus  is  not  the  only  source  of  infor- 
mation ;  but  he  is  every  way  sufficient  to  show  the  literal 
and  minute  fulfillment  of  our  Lord's  most  extraordinary  pre- 
diction. 

Verse  22.  AND  EXCEPT  THOSE  DATS  SHOULD  BE  SHORTENED,  THERE  SHOULD  NO 
FLESH  BE  SAVED;  BUT  FOR  THE  ELECT'S  SAKE,  \Mark:  WHOM  HE  HATH  CHOSEN,]  THOSE 

DAYS  SHALL  BE  SHORTENED. 

But  who  are  the  elect,  for  whose  sake  those  days  should  be 
shortened  ?  Probably  the  same  as  in  verse  24.  The  general 
impression  that  it  refers  to  the  Christian  Jews,  is  most  likely 
to  be  correct.  God  did  not  intend  to  make  a  full  end  of  that 
race  of  people ;  they  have  yet  an  important  part  to  accom- 
plish in  the  great  purposes  of  Divine  Wisdom.  But  so  gen- 
eral and  terrible  was  the  destruction  that  was  brought  upon 
them,  that  they  might  well  have  exclaimed,  (Isa.  i.  9,)  "Ex- 
cept the  Lord  of  hosts  had  left  unto  us  a  very  small  remnant, 
we  should  have  been  as  Sodom,  and  we  should  have  been 
like  unto  Gomorrah."  That  is,  they  would  have  been  so 
totally  overthrown  as  to  leave  none  of  them  alive.  From  the 
beginning  God  determined  not  to  suffer  them  to  be  utterly 
destroyed.  He  would  have  a  portion  in  Jacob.  The  idea  of 
a  chosen  remnant  being  preserved  was  familiar  to  the  Jewish 
mind.  Moses  in  his  wonderful  prophetic  discourse  and  song, 
beginning  in  the  twenty-eighth  chap,  of  Deut.,  very  distinctly 
describes  the  general  and  long-lasting  desolation  of  the  Jew- 
ish people ;  but  he  just  as  distinctly  affirmed  the  perpetual 
continuance  of  the  race.  By  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  x. 
they  were  likened  to  a  forest  of  innumerable  trees.  Whereas, 
in  their  desolation,  they  should  be  thinned  out  until  but  a  few 
were  left.  Yerse  19.  "  And  the  rest  of  the  trees  of  the  forest 
shall  be  few,  that  a  child  may  write  them.  20.  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  remnant  of  Israel,  and  such 
as  are  escaped  of  the  house  of  Jacob,  shall  no  more  again 
stay  upon  him  that  smote  them  ;  but  shall  stay  upon  the 
Lord,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  in  truth.  21.  The  remnant 
shall  return,  even  the  remnant  of  Jacob>  unto  the  mighty 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

God.  22.  For  though  thy  people  Israel  be  as  the  sand  of 
the  sea,  yet  a  remnant  of  them  shall  return." 

The  same  idea  of  preserving  a  chosen  remnant,  is  promi- 
nent also  in  chap.  Ixv.  verse  8.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  As  the 
new  wine  is  found  in  the  cluster,  and  one  saith,  Destroy  it 
not,  for  a  blessing  is  in  it ;  so  will  I  do  for  my  servant's  sake, 
that  I  may  not  destroy  them  all.  Verse  9.  And  I  will  bring 
forth  a  seed  out  of  Jacob,  and  out  of  Judah  an  inheritor  of 
my  mountains  ;  and  mine  ELECT  shall  inherit  it,  and  my  ser- 
vants shall  dwell  there" 

By  Jeremiah,  in  several  places,  the  same  idea  of  preserv- 
ing a  remnant  is  set  forth,  as,  e.  g.  in  chap.  v.  verse  10.  "  Go 
ye  up  upon  her  walls,  and  destroy  ;  but  make  not  a  full  end" 
Verse  18.  "  Nevertheless,  in  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will 
not  make  a  full  end  of  you."  In  chap.  xxx.  verse  11, 
we  find  the  same  idea :  "  For  I  am  with  thee,  saith  the 
Lord,  to  save  thee :  though  I  make  a  full  end  of  all  nations 
whither  I  have  scattered  thee,  yet  will  I  not  make  a  full  end 
of  thee." 

So  in  Amos,  chap.  ix.  verse  8.  "Behold,  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord  God  are  upon  the  sinful  kingdom,  and  I  will  destroy  it 
from  off  the  face  of  the  earth ;  saving  that  I  will  not  utterly 
destroy  the  house  of  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord."  St.  Paul,  in 
Rom.,  chap,  xi.,  speaks  also  with  particular  reference  to  a 
chosen  remnant  which  God  preserved  for  himself :  verse  5. 
"  Even  so,  at  this  present  time,  there  is  a  remnant  according 
to  the  election  of  grace"  Verse  7.  " Israel  [in  the  general] 
hath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for ;  but  the  election 
hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded." 

These,  undoubtedly,  were  the  elect  for  whose  sake  the  days 
of  desolation,  of  which  Christ  was  then  particularly  speaking, 
were  shortened.  They  were  preserved  because  they  believed 
in  Christ,  and  obeyed  his  admonitions.  God,  in  fufillment  of 
many  promises,  saved  them  by  special  interposition.  But 
even  this  chosen  and  preserved  part  of  that  unhappy  people 
were  not  saved  from  the  inconveniences  and  dangers  of  that 
period  of  tribulation.  Their  hasty  flight  into  the  mountain- 
ous regions  did  indeed  save  them  from  the  destruction  that 


154:  HARMONY  ANt>  EXPOSITION. 

befel  those  who  remained  'in  Judea  ;  but  did  it  provide  for 
them  abodes  of  comfort  and  permanency  in  the  places  to 
which  they  fled  ? 

Was  it  not  especially  for  their  sakes,  as  exiles  from  their 
native  soil,  that  those  days  should  be  shortened,  lest,  after 
having  escaped  one  form  of  destruction,  they  should  perish 
by  another  ?  And  the  shortening  of  those  days  was  also 
necessary  on  account,  also,  of  those  who,  by  reason  of  age, 
infirmity,  or  other  hindrances,  could  not  escape  from  the 
ravages  of  the  war.  Some  who  were  not  previously  converted 
were  undoubtedly  preserved,  and  became  believers  after  the 
war  had  past.  We  should  not  limit  the  elect  to  those  who 
were  at  that  time  believers,  for  several  reasons :  (1.)  It  is  a 
fact  that  many  others  were  preserved  through  the  whole  war. 
(2.)  Many  of  those  who  were  thus  preserved  were  afterwards, 
probably,  converted  to  the  true  faith.  (3.)  The  elect,  and  the 
remnant  which  are  so  frequently  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures, 
have,  it  is  likely,  usually  included  a  portion  of  such  as  were 
not,  at  the  time,  true  believers.  It  is  so  at  present ;  it  has 
been  so  from  the  first ;  and  it  is  to  such  that  the  promise  of 
the  renewing  Spirit  is  given.  See  Ezek.  xxxvi.  21-38,  and 
similar  passages. 

That  there  might  not  be  an  utter  extermination  of  even  the 
unconverted  Jews;  but  that  some  might  be  preserved  for 
future  conversion,  and  to  be  parents  of  subsequent  converts, 
those  days  of  special  suffering  were  providentially  shortened. 

It  is,  perhaps,  less  evident  that  those  who  escaped  from  the 
country,  stood  in  need  of  having  the  time  of  distress  shortened, 
as  much  as  those  who  remained  during  the  war. 

"  Those  days  should  be  shortened." 

Yet  several  years  were  spent  in  completing  the  terrible 
devastation  that  was  begun  by  Cestius  Gallus.  The  last  siege 
of  Jerusalem  continued  only  a  few  months.  And  it  was  so 
strongly  fortified,  and  so  desperately  defended,  that  even  the 
conquerors  were  constrained  to  acknowledge  that  God  had 
fought  for  them.  In  view  of  the  strength  of  the  walls  and 
towers,  Titus  himself  exclaimed,  "  We  have  fought  with  God 
on  our  side  ;  and  it  is  God  who  hath  pulled  the  Jews  out  of 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  155 

these  strong  holds ;  for  what  could  the  hands  of  men  or  ma- 
chines do  against  these  towers  ? "  The  internal  dissensions 
and  slaughter  among  the  Jews  themselves  contributed  not  a 
little  to  hasten  the  final  catastrophe. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Prmdpal  subjects — FALSE  CHBISTS  AND  FALSE  PROPHETS. 

Renewed  appearance  of  Impostors  —  "Why  so  successful — Two-fold  Caution, 
—  Simon  Magus  —  Menander,  his  Successor  —  Claims  to  be  Jesus  Christ  — 
Character  of  the  Signs  and  Wonders  wrought  by  the  Impostors — Why  the 
Jews,  who  were  imposed  upon  by  false  Miracles,  did  not  credit  the  true— - 
Illustration  from  modern  Infidelity  —  Modern  Wonder-workers  —  Deceiving 
the  Elect  —  Import  of  the  phrase,  "If  it  be  possible"  —  Facts  in  the  case  — 
Origin  and  Names  of  the  principal  Heresies  during  the  Primitive  Times  — 
Origin  of  the  False  Christs  and  False  Prophets  —  Two  ways  in  which  they 
appeared  —  Why  Christ  was  expected  in  "the  Secret  Chambers" — Use  of 
Joeephus'  History, 

Verse  23.     THEN  ry  ANY  MAN  SHALL  SAY  tfNTO  YOU,  Lo,  HEB.E  is  CHRIST,  OR  THERE  ; 

BELIEVE  IT  NOT, 

THIS  should  not  be  regarded  as  a  mere  repetition  of  what  was 
said  at  the  beginning  of  the  discourse  ;  but  as  a  warning 
against  false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  who  would  make  their 
appearance  at  the  precise  time  of  which  the  Lord  was  now 
speaking  :  they  would  come  during  the  terrible  siege  of  Jeru- 
salem. 

The  Jews  dad  not  believe  that  God  would  abandon  them  to 
their  enemies.  They  were  constantly  looking  for  some  divine 
interposition,  by  which  they  should  be  delivered.  And  it 
seems  to  have  been  generally  understood  among  them,  that, 
according  to  the  prophecies,  it  was  time  for  Messiah  to  come. 
Hence,  they  were  easily  imposed  upon  by  the  impostors  who 
appeared  in  their  midst.  As  their  calamities  increased,  and 
utter  destruction,  threatened  them,  their  hope  of  Messiah's 


156  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

appearing  seemed  to  increase,  and,  as  it  were,  concentrafe 
itself  within  the  limited  space  which  seemed  to  intervene  be- 
tween them  and  total  destruction.  They  expected  a  deliverer 
who  should  perform  miracles,  and  exhibit  astonishing  signs 
among  them. 

The  impostors  would  not  fail  to  adapt  themselves  to  the 
expectations  of  the  people  ;  and  would  come  claiming  to  be 
Christ,  and  working,  or  appearing  to  work,  miracles. 

Our  Saviour  gives  this  additional  caution,  to  put  his  disci- 
ples on  their  guard  against  plausible  and  successful  impos- 
tures. If  they  say,  Lo,  here  is  Christ,  believe  it  not.  If  any 
who  may  associate  with  the  impostors,  shall  endeavor  to  per- 
suade you  to  join  with  them,  do  not  be  deceived  :  remember 
that  you  have  been  forewarned  of  this  very  thing.  Or  if  they 
shall  point  to  the  pretenders,  and  say,  There  is  Christ,  and  try 
to  persuade  you  to  go  after  them,  do  not  be  deceived  :  others 
will  run  after  them,  but  be  you  constantly  guarded  against 
them. 

Verse  24.     FOR  THERE  SHALL  ARISE  FALSE  CHRISTS,  AND  FALSE  PROPHETS,  AND 

SHALL  SHOW  GREAT  SIGNS  AND  WONDERS. 

This  did  actually  occur.  Notwithstanding  the  disappoint- 
ments and  calamities  that  were  occasioned  by  former  impos- 
tors, the  Jews  would  not  abandon  their  expectation  of  a  deliv- 
erer ;  and  a  succession  of  deceivers  continued  to  impose  upon 
them. 

At  an  earlier  period  than  Christ  was  now  speaking  of,  there 
appeared  Simon  Magus,  who  is  referred  to  in  Acts  viii.,  9-11. 
Eusebius,  B.  3,  c.  26,  describes  another  :  "  Menander,  who 
succeeded  Simon  Magus,  exhibited  himself  an  instrument  of 
diabolical  wickedness,  not  inferior  to  the  former.  He  also 
was  a  Samaritan ;  and  having  made  no  less  progress  in  his 
impostures  than  his  master,  reveled  in  still  more  arrogant  pre- 
tensions to  miracles,  saying  that  he  was  in  truth  the  Saviour, 
once  sent  from  the  invisible  world  for  the  salvation  of  men." 

Several  impostors  are  mentioned  by  Josephus,  and  will  be  re- 
ferred to  in  connectiOn~with  ~a"  following  verse. 

"And  shall  show  great  signs  and  wonders." 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION .  '. 

The  comment  on  this  prediction  by  Watson  is  worlf  /  of 
notice : 

"  What  these  wore,  we  have  now  no  means  of  judging ; 
whether  deceptions,  or  the  result,  to  a  certain  extent,  of  a  per- 
mitted supernatural  agency. 

"  From  the  detected  character  of  popish  '  signs  and  won- 
ders,' which  bear  so  strong  a  resemblance  to  those  of  Jewish 
and  pagan  miracles,  we  may  conclude  it  probable  that  they 
were  impostures  and  'lying  wonders,'  but  artfully  contrived 
by  the  more  skillful  to  mislead  the  ignorant  mass,  prepared 
for  delusion  by  that  gross  superstition  and  belief  in  magic 
which  prevailed  among  them.  Simon  Magus  bewitched  the 
people  with  his  '  sorceries,'  and  Josephus  calls  the  false  proph- 
ets who  appeared  at  this  time  among  the  Jews,  magoi  and 
goetes,  magicians  and  sorcerers. 

"As  to  amulets,  charms,  sorceries,  and  enchantments,  the 
Jews  of  that  age  were  notoriously  credulous  ;  and  as  incred- 
ulous as  to  the  real  miracles  of  our  Lord  and  his  apostles. 

"  The  truth  of  these  miracles  obtains  from  this  a  stronger 
evidence,  and  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  a  MORAL  solution.  By 
a  credulous  people,  they  must  have  been  admitted  as  demon- 
strative of  the  doctrines  in  confirmation  of  which  they  were 
wrought ;  but  they  hated  the  doctrine  itself,  and  this  passion 
overpowered  every  mental  habit,  and  changed,  as  to  those 
glorious  evidences  of  pure  and  holy  truth,  the  whole  charac- 
ter of  their  minds.  Nor  is  this  without  a  parallel.  The  CRE- 
DULITY OF  INFIDELITY  in  our  own  age  has  often  been  remarked ; 
and  it  is  exemplified  in  the  readiness  with  which  both  those 
who  entirely  reject  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  critics  who 
would  explain  away  their  supernatural  character,  admit  the 
most  absurd  theories  in  opposition  to  them,  and  the  deceived 
confidence  with  which  they  teach  them  to  others." 

In  all  ages,  there  have  been  those  who  have  wrought  aston- 
ishing wonders.  Our  own  times  are  not  without  the  wonder- 
workers, whose  doings  form  the  topic  of  private  gossip  and 
public  reports.  By  mysterious  and  little  understood  natural 
laws,  by  which  one  person  may  affect  another,  and  by  which 
even  inanimate  things  may,  to  some  extent,  be  affected ;  and 


158  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

also  by  permitted  diabolical  agency,  such  as  is  frequently  allu- 
ded to  in  the  Scriptures,  those  impostures  may  have  been 
really  astounding,  and  well  calculated  to  deceive  the  super- 
stitious and  credulous  Jews. 

Verse  24,  (last  part)    IXSOMUCH  THAT,  IF  IT  WERE  POSSIBLE,  THEY  SHALL  DECEIVE 

THR  VERY  ELECT. 

The  note  of  Whitby  is  quite  appropriate  and  satisfactory, 
with  respect  to  the  phrase,  "  if  it  were  possible  :" 

"  First.  That  the  phrase  si  <Jjva<rov5  <  if  it  be  possible,'  or,  *  if 
it  may  be,5  doth  not  denote  an  absolute  impossibility,  but 
only  a  great  difficulty  in  the  performance  of  an  act  possible. 
So  Acts  xx.  16.  4  Paul  hastened  el  &JVCCTOV  cbrw,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible for  him,  to  be  at  Jerusalem  before  Pentecost ;'  and  yet 
sure  he  made  not  all  this  haste  to  do  what  was  impossible. 
The  apostle  commands,  el  ^uvarov,  <  If  it  be  possible,  as  much 
as  lieth  in  you,  have  peace  with  all  men  ;'  (Rom.  xii.  18,)  and 
yet  doth  not  he  exhort  us  to  use  our  utmost  endeavors  to  do 
what  was  impossible.  Ei  fovarov, '  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup 
pass  from  me,'  saith  Christ,  ("Matt.  xxvi.  49,)  and  yet  he  adds, 
4  all  things  are  possible  to  thee,  O  Father,'  (Mark  xiv.  35,)  and 
hence  the  phrase  is  changed  by  St.  Luke  into  el  £oiJX«,  <  if 
thou  wilt.' 

"  Now,  that  the  deceiving  of  Christians  in  those  times  of 
miraculous  endowment  was  very  difficult,  is  evident  from  that 
speech  concerning  a  thing  hardly  feasible,  earro'v  ns  <roCs  atfo 
Xpitmu  fwra&flafcis,  '  Sooner  may  a  Christian  be  turned  from 
Christ.' 

"  Secondly.  This  phrase  imports,  not  what  the  event  would 
be  upon  the  elect,  but  the  vehemence  of  the  endeavors  of  the 
seducers,  that  they  would  do  the  utmost  that  they  could  pos- 
sible to  shock  the  Christian,  and  seduce  him  from  his  stead- 
fastness, as  is  evident  from  the  words  of  St.  Mark,  xiii.  22, 
'  They  will  show  signs  and  wonders,  tfpoj  <rd  ckwXavav,  el  £uvarov, 
to  deceive,  if  they  are  able,  the  elect.' 

"  Now,  to  say  such  a  one  will  do  you  mischief,  if  he  can, 
or  if  he  be  able,  is  surely  no  security  that  he  can  do  you  none. 

"And,  Thirdly.  Should  this  phrase  respect  the  event>it  may 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  159 

do  it  not  absolutely,  but  only  with  relation  to  the  means 
here  mentioned  ;  i.  e.  i  they  shall  show  great  signs  and  won- 
ders,' which  shall  prevail  to  seduce  Jews,  heathens,  and  Sa- 
maritans, and  even  Christians,  were  it  possible  for  impostors 
by  lying  signs  and  wonders  to  deceive  them,  who  are  invest- 
ed with  the  power  of  making  true  and  greater  signs  and 
wonders  by  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  will  attend 
to  the  things  wrought  among  them  or  by  them." 

Much  more  of  the  same  import  may  be  found  by  consult- 
ing Whitby's  annotations  on  the  text  under  notice.  This  part 
of  his  argument  has  been  adopted,  as  containing  the  substance 
of  about  all  the  logic  which  the  passage  has  called  forth. 
There  are  now  before  the  writer  a  variety  of  commentaries, 
in  all  of  which  this  passage  is  brought  under  notice.  But 
strange  as  it  maybe,  not  one  of  them  undertakes  to  settle  the 
matter  by  referring  to  facts.  Yet,  there  are  historical  eviden- 
ces which  ought  to  be  deemed  sufficient  to  settle  the  point  in 
question. 

St.  Paul  says,  1  Tim.  iv.  1,  "  Now  the  Spirit  speaketh  ex- 
pressly, that  in  the  latter  time,  some  shall  depart  from  the 
faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils." 
2  Tim.  ii.  IT.  "And  their  word  will  eat  as  doth  a  canker :  of 
whom  is  Hymeneus  and  Philetus  :  18.  "Who  concerning  the 
truth,  have  erred,  saying  the  resurrection  is  passed  already  ; 
and  overthrow  the  faith  of  some."  2  Tim.  i.  15.  "  This  thou 
knowest,  that  all  they  which  are  in  Asia  be  turned  away  from 
me  ;  of  whom  are  Phygellus  and  Hermogenes."  Rev.  ii.  20. 
"  Notwithstanding,  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  be- 
cause thou  suiferest  that  woman,  Jezebel,  which  calleth  her- 
self a  prophetess,  to  teach,  and  to  seduce  my  servants  to  com- 
mit fornication,  and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols."  2 
Cor.  xi.  3.  "  But  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  as  the  serpent  be- 
guiled Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  your  minds  should  be  cor- 
rupted from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ."* 

In  the  various  schisms  and  corruptions  which  crept  into  the 
church  during  the  latter  part  of  the  apostolic  age,  there  is 

*  See  Note  C,  in  the  Appendix 


160  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

every  reason  to  believe  that  many  real  believers  in  Christ 
were  turned  away  from  the  faith,  and  gave  heed  unto  fables. 

Eusebius'  Eccl.  Hist.  B.  4,  c.  22,  contains  an  extract  from 
Hegesippus,  a  Christian  divine,  who  was  born  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  second  century.  He  treats  of  the  introduction 
of  heresies  in  the  church,  and  of  the  origin  of  false  Christs, 
and  false  prophets.  "  But  after  James  the  Just  had  suffered 
martyrdom,  as  our  Lord  had,  for  the  same  reason,  Simeon,  the 
son  of  Cleophas,  our  Lord's  uncle,  was  appointed  the  second 
bishop,  whom  all  proposed,  as  the  cousin  of  our  Lord.  Hence 
they  called  the  church  as  yet  a  virgin,  for  it  was  not  yet  cor- 
rupted by  vain  discourses.  Thebuthis  made  a  beginning  se- 
cretly to  corrupt  it,  on  account  of  his  not  being  made  bishop. 
He  was  one  of  those  seven  sects  among  the  Jewish  people. 

"  Of  these  also  was  Simeon,  whence  sprung  the  sect 
of  the  Simonians ;  also,  Cleobius,  from  whence  came  the 
Cleobians;  also  Dositheus,  the  founder  of  the  Dositheans. 
From  these,  also,  sprung  the  Gortheonians,  from  Gortheus, 
and  the  Masboteans,  from  Masbotheus.  Hence,  also,  the 
Menandrians,  and  Marcionists,  and  Carpocratians,  and  Val- 
entinians,  and  Basilidians,  and  the  Saturnilians,  every  one 
introducing  his  own  peculiar  opinions,  one  differing  from 
another.  From  these  sprung  the  false  Christs  and  false  proph- 
ets, and  false  apostles,  who  divided  the  unity  of  the  church, 
by  the  introduction  of  corrupt  doctrines  against  God,  and 
against  Christ." 

Euseb.  B.  4,  c.  7,  speaking  of  Satan's  efforts  to  corrupt  the 
church,  observes,  "  He  employed  the  agency  of  wicked  im- 
postors and  deceivers,  as  certain  abandoned  instruments  and 
ministers  of  destruction.  Intent  upon  every  course,  he  insti- 
gated these  insidious  impostors  and  deceivers,  by  assuming 
the  same  name  with  us  (Christians)  to  lead  those  believers 
whom  they  happened  to  seduce  to  the  depths  of  destruction, 
and  by  their  presumption,  also  turn  those  that  were  igno- 
rant of  the  faith,  from  the  path  that  led  to  the  saving  truth 
of  God." 

Perhaps  it  may  appear  to  some  that  all  this  testimony, 
which,  after  all,  is  but  a  specimen  of  what  might  be  exhibit- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  161 

ed,  does  not  prove  that  any  of  the  true  believers  were  de- 
ceived, and  turned  from  the  gospel  faith.  But  it  must  result 
from  extreme  unwillingness  to  believe  what  this  array  of  ev- 
idences is  designed  to  prove. 

It  may,  indeed,  be  objected,  that  the  false  Christs,  and  false 
prophets  here  spoken  of,  were  not  those  to  which  Christ  par- 
ticularly referred.  The  objection  is,  to  a  degree,  perhaps, 
founded  in  truth.  •  But  these  false  teachers  were  those  who 
began  to  corrupt  the  church,  previously  to  the  time  of  which 
Christ  was  speaking,  and  they  continued  until  after  that  time. 
There  is  sufficient  reason  for  believing  that  some  of  them  were 
among  the  very  ones  that  Christ  particularly  referred  to. 

It  may  be  objected  still  further,  that  those  who  were  de- 
ceived and  corrupted  were  not,  after  all,  real  believers.  But 
the  objection  is  directly  opposed  to  all  the  appearances  and 
historical  teachings  in  the  case.  Indeed,  does  it  not  flatly 
contradict  the  express  declarations  of  the  inspired  word  ? 

It  may  be  still  further  objected,  that  those  of  whom  these 
quotations  speak,  as  having  been  deceived,  were  not  the  elect 
of  whom  Christ  was  speaking.  But  is  this  anything  more 
than  a  mere  assumption,  without  a  particle  of  proof?  All 
the  probabilities  in  the  case  are  against  the  assumption.  Be- 
sides, nothing  can  be  gained  for  the  doctrine  which  the  objec- 
tion is  designed  to  defend,  by  admitting  that  true  believers  of 
one  period  may  be  deceived,  but  not  those  of  another  period. 

[Mark:  BUT  TAKE  YE  HEED;]      Verse  25.     BEHOLD,  I  HAVE  TOLD  you  BEFORE. 

"But  take  ye  heed." 

Be  always  on  your  guard  against  these  impostors,  for  they 
will  come  among  you,  even  occupying  the  highest  places  in 
the  church,  and  many  shall  be  seduced  by  them,  and  shall 
follow  their  pernicious  ways.  Take  heed  for  yourselves,  and 
also  for  the  flock  over  which  you  may  be  overseers.  Be  at 
all  times  on  the  alert,  that  you  may  detect  and  expose  the 
wolves  in  sheeps'  clothing,  not  sparing  the  flock  in  the  fold. 

How  vigilant  and  faithful  the  apostles  were,  in  respect  to 
these  things,  we  may  easily  understand,  by  examining  the 
Writings  and  histories  of  Paul,  Peter,  Jude,  and  John. 
11 


162  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

The  Lord  knew  beforehand  what  they  were  destined  to  wit- 
ness and  endure ;  and,  as  far  as  possible,  prepared  them  for 
the  watch-care  and  government  of  the  church.  This  admoni- 
tion was  necessary  at  all  times,  and  especially  necessary  for 
the  particular  time  which  Christ  had  then  in  view. 

"jBehold,  I  have  told  you  before." 

Not  only  of  the  fact  that  such  impostors  will  appear ;  but 
also  the  particular  manner  in  which  they  will  appear,  and  how 
they  will  succeed  in  their  wicked  devices.  Let  the  fact  that 
I  have  distinctly  informed  you  of  these  things,  so  long  before 
they  come  to  pass,  be  an  additional  evidence  to  you  of  my 
Messiahship,  when  the  false  Christs  and  false  prophets  shall 
call  it  in  question.  And  be  ready,  at  all  times,  to  expose 
these  impostors,  by  the  signs  which  I  have  given  you. 

Verse  26.     WHEREFORE,  IF  THEY  SHALL  SAY   UNTO  YOU,   BEHOLD,  HE  is  IN  THE 

DESERT,  GO  NOT  FORTH  ;    BEHOLD,  HE  18  IN  THE  SECRET  CHAMBERS  J  BELIEVE  IT  NOT. 

In  some  instances  the  impostors  would  appear  openly  in 
public  places.  Then  the  procedure  would  be,  "  Lo,  here  is 
Christ,  or  lo  there !"  This  would  be  the  first  method,  and, 
therefore,  it  is  first  described.  But  they  will  also  proceed  in 
another  manner :  they  will  try  to  induce  you  to  go  into  the 
desert. 

Josephus,  Ant.,  B.  20,  c.  8,  s.  5, 6,  thus  refers  to  this  very  meth- 
od of  procedure :  "Arid  now  these  impostors  and  deceivers  per- 
suaded the  multitude  to  follow  them  into  the  wilderness,  and 
pretended  that  they  would  exhibit  manifest  wonders  and 
signs,  that  should  be  performed  by  the  providence  of  God. 
And  many  that  were  prevailed  on  by  them  suffered  the  pun- 
ishment of  their  folly  ;  for  Felix  brought  them  back,  and  then 
punished  them.  Moreover,  there  came  out  of  Egypt  about 
this  time  to  Jerusalem,  one  that  said  he  was  a  prophet,  and 
advised  the  multitude  of  the  common  people  to  go  along  with 
him  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.  .  .  .  He  said,  further,  that 
lie  would  show  them  from  hence  how,  at  his  command,  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem  would  fall  down ;  and  he  promised  them 
that  he  would  procure  them  an  entrance  into  the  city  through 
those  walls,  when  they  were  fallen  down." 


HABMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  163 

War,  B.  2,  c.  13,  s.  4.  "  There  was  also  another  body  of 
wicked  men  gotten  together,  not  so  impure  in  their  actions, 
but  more  wicked  in  their  intentions,  which  laid  waste  the 
happy  state  of  the  city  no  less  than  did  these  murderers. 
These  men  were  such  as  deceived  and  deluded  the  people, 
under  pretence  of  divine  inspiration ;  but  were  for  procuring 
innovations  and  changes  in  the  government ;  and  these  pre- 
vailed with  the  multitude  to  act  like  madmen,  and  went  be- 
fore them  into  the  wilderness,  as  pretending  that  God  would 
show  them  there  the  signals  of  liberty." 

We  learn  from  the  next  section,  that  the  Egyptian  false 
prophet  before  mentioned,  so  prospered  in  his  imposture,  that 
"  thirty  thousand  men  were  deluded  by  him.  These  he  led 
round  about  from  the  wilderness  [where  he  first  induced  them 
to  go]  to  the  mount  which  is  called  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
and  was  ready  to  break  into  Jerusalem  by  force  from  that 
place." 

War,  S.  7",  c.  11,  s.  1,  gives  an  account  of  a  weaver,  by  the 
name  of  Jonathan,  who  "  prevailed  with  no  small  number  of 
the  poorer  sort  to  give  ear  to  him.  He  also  led  them  into  the 
desert,  upon  promising  them  that  he  would  show  them  signs 
and  apparitions." 

How  wonderfully  distinct  and  particular  was  the  Saviour's 
prophecy,  both  in  respect  to  the  events  that  should  occur,  and 
also  with  respect  to  the  circumstances  and  succession !  How 
very  appropriate  and  necessary  the  admonition,  not  to  go  into 
the  desert ! 

"Behold,  he  is  in  the  secret  chambers  ;  believe  it  not." 
The  temple  had  many  secret  chambers  ;  and  it  was  not  un- 
natural for  these  credulous  rejectors  of  the  true  Christ,  to  sup- 
pose that  the  Messiah  might  have  come,  and  might  be  hidden 
in  the  inner  recesses  of  the  holy  house.  They  had  been  de- 
ceived in  all  those  who  had  led  the  multitudes  into  the  desert, 
as  well  as  in  those  who  had  exhibited  themselves  publicly  in 
their  streets.  Now,  besieged  in  their  capital,  with  destruc- 
tion just  ready  to  come  upon  them,  if  the  still  expected  de- 
liverer appeared,  he  would  be  likely  to  issue  from  the  inner 


164:  HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION. 

chambers  of  the  temple  itself.  Here,  again,  the  Jewish  his- 
torian, without  intending  any  encouragement  to  Christianity, 
gives  a  distinct  narrative  of  the  fulfillment  of  this  part  of  this 
most  minute  prophecy.  War,  B.  6,  c.  5  s.  2. 

Speaking  of  several  thousands  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, who  were  destroyed  in  consequence  of  their  being  in- 
duced to  seek  refuge  in  the  temple,  he  observes,  —  "A  false 
prophet  was  the  occasion  of  these  people's  destruction,  who 
had  made  a  public  proclamation  in  the  city  that  very  day, 
that  God  commanded  them  to  get  up  upon  the  temple,  and 
there  they  should  receive  miraculous  signs  of  their  deliver- 
ance. Now,  there  was  then  a  great  number  of  false  prophets 
suborned  by  the  [Jewish]  tyrants  to  impose  on  the  people, 
who  denounced  this  to  them,  that  they  should  wait  for  deliv- 
erance from  God  ;  this  was  to  keep  them  from  deserting,  and 
that  they  might  be  buoyed  up  above  fear  and  care  by  such 
hopes.  Now,  a  man  that  is  in  adversity,  does  easily  comply 
with  such  promises  ;  for  when  a  seducer  makes  him  believe 
that  he  shall  be  delivered  from  those  miseries  that  oppress 
him,  then  it  is  that  the  patient  is  full  of  hopes  of  such  deliv- 
erance." 

How  perfectly  the  discourse  of  Christ  observes  the  chrono- 
logic order  of  events !  Nothing  less  than  Omniscience  could 
have  foreseen  the  precise  succession  of  the  multitude  of  items 
which  make  up  the  body  of  the  prophecy. 

And,  in  respect  to  the  confirmatory  history  of  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  predictions,  the  observation  of  Wesley  is 
very  just :  "  Josephus'  History  of  the  Jewish  "War  is  the  best 
commentary  on  this  chapter.  It  is  a  wonderful  instance  of 
God's  providence,  that  he,  an  eye-witness,  and  one  who  lived 
and  died  a  Jew,  should,  especially  in  so  extraordinary  a  man- 
ner, be  preserved,  to  transmit  to  us  a  collection  of  important 
facts,  which  so  exactly  illustrate  this  glorious  prophecy,  in  al- 
most every  circumstance."  Note  on  verse  14. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  165 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Principal  subjects — THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST,  AND  THE  HISTORY 
OF  JERUSALEM  SINCE  THE  ROMAN  WAR. 

Does  the  27th  verse  refer  to  the  Romans?  —  Opinions  of  eminent  Divines  — 
The  Issue  announced — How  the  question  is  to  be  settled — The  Passage 
examined — Its  designed  use — Things  to  be  considered  —  The  single  bear- 
ing of  the  Illustration — The  Carcass  and  the  Eagles — Two  Applications  — 
How  one  could  be  taken  and  another  left — An  important  Emendation  of 
Matthew's  Record  —  Position  of  the  passage  from  Luke  —  Destruction  and 
Dispersion  of  the  Jews  —  Different  from  previous  Dispersions — Jerusalem 
in  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles  —  Import  of  the  expression,  "Trodden 
down  of  the  Gentiles" — The  city  in  the  times  of  Constantine — Julian  the 
Apostate  —  His  attempt  to  defeat  the  fulfillment  of  the  Prophecy  —  Result 
—  How  the  city  is  to  be  in  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles  —  Import  of  the 
expression,  "Times  of  the  Gentiles.' 

Verse  27.   FOR  AS  THE  LIGHTNING  COMETH  OUT  OF  THE  EAST,  AND  SHINETH  EVEN 

UNTO  THE  WEST,  SO  SHALL  ALSO  THE  COMING  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  BE. 

THIS  verse  is  so  important  in  its  relations  to  the  general 
subject,  that  a  misapplication  of  it  cannot  fail  to  involve  the 
exposition  of  the  chapter  in  inextricable  difficulty.  That  it 
appears  to  refer  to  the  second  personal  advent  of  our  Lord  is 
sufficiently  evident.  But  that  it  does  primarily  and  exclu- 
sively refer  to  that  event  is  generally  denied.  And,  in  this 
general  denial,  those  who  believe  in  such  an  advent  make,  to 
a  certain  extent,  common  cause  with  those  who  do  not  believe 
in  it.  The  passage  itself  is  probably  as  plain  a  reference  to 
the  second  advent  as  any  one  in  the  whole  Bible.  And  if  it 
were  placed  almost  anywhere  else  in  the  Bible,  the  believers 
in  the  second  coming  of  Christ  could  scarcely  find  a  reason 
for  disagreement  about  its  meaning. 

But  the  connection  of  the  passage  with  the  other  parts  of 
the  discourse  is  insisted  upon  by  some  as  sufficient  evidence 
that  it  must,  in  some  way,  refer  to  the  temporal  matters  that 
Were,  at  that  precise  point,  the  subjects  of  prophecy.  If  this 


166  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

be  allowed  to  decide  the  matter,  then  there  can  be  but  one 
primary  application  of  the  verse ;  and  that  must  refer  it  to 
the  temporal  judgments  which  then  formed  the  special  topics 
of  discourse.  It  is  deemed  advisable  to  lay  before  the  reader 
the  opinions  of  commentators  whose  works  are  in  common 
use  in  our  country. 

BISHOP  NEWTON  (On  the  Prophecies.)  "  The  Roman  army 
entered  Judea  on  the  east  side  of  it,  and  carried  on  their 
conquests  westward,  as  if  not  only  the  extensiveness  of  the 
ruin,  but  the  very  route  which  the  army  would  take,  wa& 
intended  in  the  comparison  of  the  lightning  coming  out  of 
the  east,  and  shining  even  unto  the  west."*  Lond.  ed.p.  354. 

DR.  COKE.  "  His  coming  will  not  be  in  this  or  that  particu- 
lar place,  but  like  the  lightning,  sudden  and  universal.  The 
appearance  of  the  true  Christ  will  be  as  distinguishable  from 
that  of  the  false  Christs,  as  lightning,  which  shineth  all 
round  the  hemisphere,  is  from  a  blaze  of  straw  ;  it  is  very 
remarkable,  '  That  the  Roman  army  entered  into  Judea  on  the 
east  side  of  it,  and  carried  on  their  conquests  westward.' " 

DR.  CLARKE.  "  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  our  Lord,  in 
the  most  particular  manner,  points  out  the  very  march  of  the 
Roman  army ;  they  entered  into  Judea  on  the  EAST,  and 
carried  on  their  conquests  WESTWARD,  as  if  not  only  the  ex- 
tensiveness of  the  ruin,  but  the  very  route  which  the  army 
would  take,  were  intended  in  the  comparison  of  the  lightning 
issuing  from  the  east,  and  shining  to  the  west" 

DR.  SCOTT.  "  The  Christians,  if  they  had  not  been  fore- 
warned, might  have  been  deceived  on  another  ground ;  for 
they  expected  their  Lord  to  come,  not  to  deliver,  but  to  de- 
stroy Jerusalem ;  they  were  therefore  reminded  that  his 
coming  for  this  purpose,  would  not  be  secret,  or  local  /  but 
like  the  "  lightning,  which  shineth"  at  once  from  east  to  west ; 
for  in  his  righteous  providence,  he  would,  with  conspicuous 

*This  was  not  original  with  Bishop  NEWTON;  he  professed  to  derive  it 
from  Bishop  PEAECE. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  167 

and  irresistible  energy,  desolate  the  whole  land.  The  Roman 
armies  entered  Judea  by  the  east,  and  carried  their  victorious 
ravages  to  the  west,  in  a  very  rapid  and  tremendous  manner." 

RICHARD  WATSON.  "  In  the  noble  and  illustrative  compari- 
son here  used,  his  disciples  were  taught  that  he  would  not 
appear  in  the  desert  or  in  secret  places,  but,  1.  In  public  ma- 
jesty as  Judge,  to  be  known  4  by  the  judgment  which  he 
should  execute.'  2.  Suddenly,  without  whispering  premoni- 
tory rumors,  even  as  the  lightning  from  heaven.  3.  Through 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land,  by  the  sudden  and  gen- 
eral meeting  of  the  Roman  armies  in  march,  from  the  east 
even  to  the  west,  all  hastening  from  the  Mediterranean  coasts 
on  the  east,  toward  Jerusalem  on  the  west." 

DR.  WHTTBY.  "  You  will  then  need  none  to  instruct  you 
•where  Christ  is,  or  to  say  to  you,  He  is  here,  or  there ;  for  by 
the  Roman  army,  which  shall  pass  through  the  territories  of 
the  Jews  like  lightning,  his  coming  to  take  vengeance  on  that 
nation  shall  be  manifest ;  and  wherever  the  Jews,  who,  like 
dead  carcasses,  shall  be  devoured  by  the  Roman  eagles,  are, 
thither  shall  he  fly  with  them,  to  tear  and  to  devour  them." 

MR.  BURKITT.  "There  is  a  three-fold  coming  of  Christ 
spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament.  1.  His  coming  in  his 
spiritual  kingdom  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  among  the 
Gentiles.  2.  His  coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem  forty  years 
after  his  ascension.  3.  His  final  coming  to  judgment  at 
the  great  day.  All  these  comings  of  the  Son  of  man,  for 
their  suddenness  and  unexpectedness,  are  compared  unto 
lightning,  which  in  a  moment  breaketh  out  of  the  east,  and 
shineth  unto  the  west.  Learn  hence,  that  the  coming  and 
appearance  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  judging  of  the 
wicked  and  impenitent  sinners,  will  be  a  very  certain,  sudden, 
and  unexpected  appearance." 

COTTAGE  BIBLE.  "  The  meaning  appears  to  be,  that  as  this 
surprising  meteor  shoots  in  the  same  instant  from  east  to 
west,  and  pervades  the  whole  horizon,  so  should  the  Roman 


168  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

armies,  which  attend  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  like  a 
mighty  tempest,  at  once  cover  the  whole  land  of  Israel." 

MR.  BARNES.  "  This  is  not  designed  to  denote  the  quarter 
from  which  he  would  come,  but  the  manner.  He  does  not 
mean  to  affirm  that  the  Son  of  man  will  come  from  the  east, 
but  that  he  will  come  in  a  rapid  and  unexpected  manner,  like 
lightning.  Many  would  be  looking  for  him  in  the  desert ; 
many  in  secret  places.  But,  he  said,  it  would  be  useless  to  be 
looking  in  that  manner.  It  was  useless  to  look  to  any  par- 
ticular part  of  the  heavens,  to  know  where  the  lightning 
would  next  flash.  In  a  moment  it  would  blaze  in  an  unex- 
pected part  of  the  heavens,  and  shine  at  once  to  the  other 
part.  So  rapidly,  so  unexpectedly,  in  so  unlooked-for  a  quar- 
ter, would  be  his  coming." 

That  Mr.  Barnes  understood  the  illustration  of  the  light- 
ning to  be  applicable  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  appears 
from  several  observations  that  follow  the  above. 

"  The  words,  therefore,  had  doubtless  a  primary  reference 
to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but  such  an  amplitude  of 
meaning  as  also  to  express  his  coming  to  judgment." 

Referring  to  the  illustration  of  the  eagles,  in  the  next  verse, 
he  remarks : 

"This  verse  is  connected  with  the  preceding  by  the  word 
*  for,'  implying  that  this  is  a  reason  for  what  is  said  there,  that 
the  Son  of  man  would  certainly  come  to  destroy  the  city, 
and  that  he  would  come  suddenly.  The  meaning  is,  he  would 
come  ly  means  of  the  Roman  armies." 

DR.  BENSON.  "  The  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  in 
a  very  different  manner,  and  for  very  different  ends,  from 
what  you  are  imagining.  It  shall  be  like  lightning,  swift,  un- 
expected, and  destructive.  His  appearance  will  be  as  dis- 
tinguishable from  that  of  every  false  Christ,  as  lightning, 
which  shines  all  around  the  hemisphere,  is  from  a  blaze  of 
straw. 

"What  Bishop  Pearce  observes  from  Josephus  is  very 
remarkable.  'The  Roman  army  entered  into  Judea  on  the 
east  side  of  it,  and  carried  on  their  conquests  westward,  as  if 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  169 

not  only  the  extensiveness  of  the  ruin,  but  the  very  route 
which  the  army  would  take,  was  intended  in  the  comparison 
of  the  lightning  coming  out  of  the  east  and  shining  even  unto 
the  west." 

There  are  many  other  smaller  and  less  important  publica- 
tions, which  adopt  the  same  general  method  of  explaining  the 
verse  under  notice.  They  are  usually  but  little  more  than 
mere  compilations  ;  and,  as  might  be  expected,  copy  from  the 
more  extensive  commentaries  their  principal  ideas,  and  their 
leading  illustrations.  Several  of  the  more  ancient  standard 
expositions  are  quite  confused  and  undecided  in  respect  to 
the  meaning  of  the  illustration  of  the  lightning.  So  far  as 
the  author  has  been  able  to  extend  his  researches  back  along 
the  succession  of  commentators,  Bishop  PEAKCE  appears  to 
have  been  the  ingenious  discoverer  of  the  happy  mode  of 
interpreting  the  illustration  of  the  lightning.  From  Bishop 
Pearce  the  thing  was  copied  by  Bishop  NEWTON  in  his  work 
on  the  Prophecies.  And  this  latter  work  appears  to  have 
been  the  principal  source  of  argument  and  illustration,  in 
commenting  on  this  part  of  the  Scriptures,  for  nearly  all  the 
later  divines.  "  Honor  to  whom  honor  is  due." 

The  foregoing  quotations,  considered  with  reference  to 
their  principal  points,  teach  just  two  things:  1.  That  the 
lightning  shining  from  east  to  west  illustrates  the  invasion 
and  conquest  of  Judea  by  the  Romans :  that  they  entered 
into  Judea  on  the  east,  and  carried  on  their  conquests  west- 
wardly.  2.  That  as  the  lightning  flashes  out  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly,  instantly  illuminating  the  whole  heavens  ;  so 
would  it  be  with  respect  to  the  coming  and  conquests  of  the 
Roman  armies  ;  it  would  be  so  sudden,  so  unexpected,  and 
the  conquests  and  desolations  so  general  and  rapid,  as  to  be 
fitly  represented  by  the  flashing,  spreading,  destructive  light- 
ning. 

The  author  is  not  sensible  of  doing  injustice  to  the  prece- 
ding quotations,  by  this  condensed  summary  of  their  general 


170  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

teaching  ;  and  his  only  object  in  making  this  summary  is,  to 
bring  more  distinctly  before  the  reader  the  precise  points  to 
which  he  designs  to  reply. 

Reader,  consider  attentively  the  principal  points  in  these 
quotations ;  notice  how  confident  the  declarations,  and  the 
appeals  to  history ;  and  how  important  to  the  proper  under- 
standing of  the  prophecy  these  historic  illustrations  are  con- 
sidered. Having  done  this,  carefully  consider  now  what  you 
are  about  to  read ;  for  its  importance  commends  it  to  your 
most  serious  attention.  After  a  long,  thorough,  and  entirely 
satisfactory  examination  of  this  matter;  having  critically 
examined  the  original  authorities  referred  to ;  having  in  innu- 
merable instances  made  it  a  subject  of  inquiry,  and  sought 
information  from  the  living,  as  well  as  from  the  writings  of 
the  deceased  ;  the  author  is  now  prepared  to  make  his  unex- 
pected, startling,  but  well-weighed,  and  confident  statement. 

Reader,  there  is  no  truth,  or  semblance  of  truth,  in  those 
quotations,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  history  of  the  coming 
and  conquest  of  the  Romans.  Not  only  is  there  no  truth  in 
them,  Imt  in  respect  to  the  point  in  question,  they  are  diametri- 
cally OPPOSITE  to  the  truth  in  every  important  particular.  The 
whole  thing  is  a  fiction,  with  hardly  a  sufficiency  of  founda- 
tion truth  to  be  called  a  romance.  The  positive  affirmations 
are  proved  to  ~be  without  truth  by  the  very  authorities  which  are 
appealed  to  ! 

The  issue  is  distinct,  and  the  reader  is  challenged  to  inves- 
tigate. But  how  shall  the  question  be  decided  ?  by  opinions, 
or  assertions  ?  Certainly  not ;  it  is  purely  a  question  of  fact, 
and  to  facts  the  appeal  is  made.  But  as  the  investigation 
would  necessarily  interrupt  the  consecutive  exposition  of  the 
prophecy,  the  facts  in  the  case  are  brought  together  in  a  part 
of  the  book  specially  devoted  to  that  purpose.  The  reader  is 
therefore  particularly  requested,  before  proceeding  any  fur- 
ther, to  turn  to  the  second  Appendix,  and,  with  a  good  map 
before  him,*  examine  the  subject  for  himself. 

•        ••••••••»• 

*  Kobinson's  is  the  best 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  171 

Verse  27.   FOB  AS  THE  LIGHTNING  COMETH  OUT  OF  THE  EAST,  AND  SHINETH  EVEN 

UNTO  THE  WEST  J    SO  SHALL  ALSO  THE  COMING  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  BE. 

Supposing  the  reader  to  have  complied  with  the  request  to 
examine  the  application  of  this  verse  to  the  Jewish  war,  and 
that  he  is  now  ready  to  proceed  with  the  Exposition,  we  come 
directly  to  the  text. 

We  find  several  things  in  this  verse  to  observe  : 

1.  The  Lord  was  not,  at  this  point,  discussing  the  subject 
of  his  coming  ;  but  merely  alluded  to  it  for  a  particular  pur- 
pose, to  be  hereafter  considered.    The  reference  to  his  com- 
ing, in  this  place,  was  evidently  anticipatory,  so  far  as  it 
relates  to  chronological  order.     The  proper  position  for  the 
subject  of  his  coming,  to  be  regularly  described,  is  after  the 
29th  verse.     There  it  is  treated  formally,  particularly,  and 
with  special  reference  to  its  preceding,  attending,  and  succeed- 
ing events.     Will  the  reader  do  himself  and  the  author  the 
favor  carefully  to  notice  this  evident  and  important  fact. 

2.  Another  thing  to  be  observed  is,  that  this  reference  to 
his  coming  was  for  the  purpose  of  illustrating  another  subject; 

NOT   THE    COMING  OF  THE  jR-OMANS,  but  the  COHling  of  the  FALSE 

CHKISTS,  of  which  he  was  then  particularly  speaking. 

3.  And  it  should  be  noticed  also,  that  the  intention  of 
the  illustration  was  to  point  out  a  contrast,  not  a  similitude. 
The  Lord  had  in  view  the  liability  of  his  disciples  to  be  mis- 
led by  confounding  things  that  had  no  proper  similarity. 
They  might  be  deceived  by  the  false  Christs,  on  the  supposi- 
tion that  when  the   Lord  should   come,  it  might  be  in  a 
manner  similar  to  the  appearance  of  the  impostors.     He  at 
once  secures  them  from  this  source  of  danger,  by  simply 
stating  the  manner  in  which  he  would  appear,  —  as  the  light- 
ning flashing  through  the  heavens. 

4.  Christ  undoubtedly  desired  that  this  illustration  should 
have  such  an  impression  on  the  minds  of  his  disciples  as 
would  be  natural,  —  not  needing  a  lengthy  dissertation,  or, 
indeed,  any  labored  effort,  to  produce  the  proper  impression. 
The  minds  for  which  the  illustration  was  intended  (supposing 
it  designed  for  general  use,)  were  not  the  critical,  the  investi- 
gating, and  the  superior ;  but  the  common  minds ;  the  minds 


172  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

of  the  farmers,  merchants,  mechanics,  fishermen,  day  laborers ; 
those  of  the  women  and  children ;  in  a  word,  the  ordinary 
minds  of  the  people  generally.  And  such  would  undoubtedly 
understand  him  to  speak  of  himself,  in  a  strictly  personal,  and 
not  in  a  merely  representative,  or  judicial  sense.  And  this 
would  be  the  more  likely  to  be  the  case,  from  the  fact  that  he 
did,  immediately  after,  speak  so  evidently  of  his  personal 
advent. 

5.  We  should  be  careful  not  to  judge  of  the  impression 
naturally  produced  in  their  minds,  by  the  groundless  notions 
which  we  may  have  derived  from  the  far-fetched,  labored, 
metaphysical,  and — as  has  \>QV&  proved — fictitious,  interpre- 
tations of  this  passage.     The  disciples  of  that  day  had  not  our 
numerous,  voluminous,  figurative,  and  wonderfully  ingenious 
expositions  of  the   Lord's  discourse.     They  listened  to  its 
delivery,  or  they  perused  the  record,  with  very  different  pre- 
conceptions from  ours.     So  far  as  they  prejudged  the  matter 
at  all,  they  supposed  that  Christ  would  come,  in  person,  about 
that  time.     Everything  indicates  this:   the  coming  of  the 
impostors  ;  the  danger  of  deception ;  the  nature  of  the  admo- 
nitions ;  the  misunderstood  predictions.   And  the  admonitions 
of  Christ  cannot  l)e  tortured  into  such  a  shape,  as  to  show,  or 
even  to  appear  to  show,  that  he  desired  or  intended  to  remove 
from  their  minds  the  impression  that  the  coming  he  referred 
to  would  be  a  personal  coming.     His  whole  effort  in  the  case 
was  to  guard  them  against  other  things  ;  particularly,  against 
a  misunderstanding  of  the  time  and  manner  of  his  coining. 

6.  Our  Lord  most  certainly  knew  what  were  the  supposi- 
tions of  the  disciples  respecting  the  nature  of  his  coming ; 
and  it  is  sufficiently  obvious  that  the  reference  to  his  coming  in 
the  27th  verse,  was  intended  to  guard  them  against  deception 
on  this  particular  point.     But  how  did  he  do  it  ?     Did  he  say 
to  them,  You  are  mistaken  in  your  impression  that  I  am  to 
come  personally  :    it  is  not  &  personal  coming,  as  the  impos- 
tors will  pretend,  but  only  &  figurative  or  judicial  coming: 
I  mean  simply  that  I  am  to  come  in  judgment,  by  means  of 
the  "Roman  armies  ? 

Now  if  this  was  in  fact  the  coming  he  referred  to,  and  he 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  173 

desired  to  guard  them  against  being  deceived  by  the  impos- 
tors, how  much  more  natural  it  would  have  been  for  him  just 
to  have  informed  them  of  this ;  and,  by  so  doing,  not  only 
guard  them  from  danger  of  deception  on  this  point,  but  save 
many  generations  from  misapprehending  him.  But,  instead 
of  removing  their  impression  that  he  was  to  come  personally, 
he  made  an  allusion  to  a  coming  that  he  immediately  de- 
scribed in  a  way  that  seems  to  be  as  personal  as  language  can 
make  it.  And  the  difference  between  the  coming  of  the 
impostors  and  his  own  coming,  he  did  not  in  any  way  inti- 
mate to  consist  in  being  the  one  personal,  and  the  other 
figurative  ;  but  in  the  distinctly  asserted  fact,  this  Ms  coming 
should  be  as  the  lightning  flashing  through  the  heavens. 

And  when  he  introduced  the  subject  in  its  proper  order,  not 
T^y  a  mere  allusion,  but  for  the  purpose  of  describing  it,  he 
affirmed  that  he  would  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  that 
all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  should  see  him  coming  in  that  man- 
ner. This  must  certainly  have  been  to  the  disciples,  with, 
their  previous  impression  of  the  personality  of  his  coming, 
not  only  a  sufficient  guard  against  deception  by  the  false 
Christs,  but  also  a  deep  confirmation  of  the  reality  of  his 
coming  in  person  at  the  proper  time. 

The  subject  is  here  treated  incidentally,  and  will  be  re- 
sumed at  the  appropriate  place  to  treat  it  particularly,  as  our 
Lord  himself  has  done. 

Verse  28.  FOE  WHERESOEVER  THE  CARCASS  is,  THERE  WILL  THE  EAGLES  BE  GATH- 
ERED TOGETHER, 

But  what  is  intended  by  the  carcass  and  the  eagles  ?  This 
is  a  little  obscure.  Those  who  see  nothing  but  the  coming  of 
the  Romans  in  the  reference  to  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man 
as  the  flashing  lightning,  will  of  course  find  something  to  fix 
upon,  in  connection  with  the  Romans,  which  may  be  used  as 
an  argument  for  such  an  application  of  the  text.  And  it  should 
be  cheerfully  admitted  that  among  the  images  and  other  de- 
vices on  the  Roman  ensigns,  the  image  of  the  eagle  was  very 
conspicuous ;  as  much  so,  probably,  as  the  same  figure  on  our 
own  national  standard.  And  this  seems  to  have  been  consid- 


174:  HAEMONT  AND   EXPOSITION. 

ered  a  sufficient  proof  that  the  preceding  verse  refers  to  the 
Romans,  because  of  this  supposed  allusion  to  their  ensigns. 
But  on  this  point  there  are  several  things  to  be  considered. 

1.  It  has  been  proved  that  the  reasons  assigned  for  referring 
the  27th  verse  to  the  Romans,  are  not  founded  in  fact.     Is  it 
not  more  than  useless,  then ; — is  it  not  reprehensible,  to  coun- 
tenance and  propagate  so  evident  and  so  injurious  an  error  ? 
If  the  eagles  of  the  28th  verse  refer  to  anything  connected 
with  the  Romans,  the  proof  must  be  drawn  from  some  other 
source  than  the  verse  relating  to  the  lightning. 

2.  If  the  27th  verse  be  acknowledged  to  have  no  reference 
to  the  Romans,  but  to  be  an  anticipatory  reference  to  the 
coming  of  Christ,  then  the  28th  verse  would  be  closely  related 
to  the  26th,  and  would  seem  to  refer  more  particularly  to  the 
impostors  of  whom  Christ  was  then  discoursing.    The  body  of 
the  Jewish  people  might  then  be  considered  as  the,  lifeless 
carcass,  ready  to  be  preyed  upon  by  the  false  prophets  and 
false  Christs,  who,  like  the  eagles,  would  scent  their  prey,  and 
gather  to  deceive  and  destroy.    The  advantages  of  this  appli- 
cation over  the  usual  one  would  be,  (1.)  That  the  subject  of 
the  discourse  would  not  be  interrupted  by  the  introduction  of 
an  entirely  new  theme ;  for,  in  this  case,  the  27th  verse  would 
be  a  mere  allusion — parenthetic  in  nature — to  a  subject  re- 
ferred to  for  a  moment  to  show,  at  a  glance,  the  contrast 
between  the  true  coming  of  Christ — which  would  soon  be 
formally  considered — and  the  coming  of  the  impostors,  which 
was  then  the  immediate  subject  of  discourse.     And,  (2.)  This 
application  would  better  agree  with  the  character  of  the  eagle; 
for  it  is  well  known  that  this  bird  is  not  gregarious,  and  does 
not  make  its  attacks  in  great  numbers,  like  armies.     It  is  an 
unsocial  bird ;  and,  to  quote  Watson's  Dictionary,  "  Provi- 
dence has  constituted  it  a  solitary  animal ;  two  pairs  of  eagles 
are  never  found  in  the  same  neighborhood,  though  the  genus 
is  dispersed  through  every  quarter  of  the  world." 

Now  the  Romans  rushed  upon  the  Jews  in  large  masses, 
totally  unlike  the  gathering  of  the  eagles  to  the  prey,  solitarily, 
or  in  single  pairs.  But  the  impostors,  of  whom  Christ  was  then 
speaking,  did  not  come  upon  the  Jews  in  crowds,  but  singly, 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  175 

or  in  small  numbers  at  a  time.  And  they  were  really  as  much, 
instrumental  in  the  destruction  of  the  Jews  as  the  Romans 
themselves,  though  not  quite  so  immediately. 

These  considerations  are  not  relied  upon  as  proving  the 
supposition  beyond  dispute ;  but  as  worthy  of  notice,  showing 
very  clearly  that  there  is  no  necessity  of  referring  the  verse  to 
the  Romans.  If,  however,  it  should  be  deemed  more  appro- 
priate to  interpret  the  verse  in  connection  with  the  27th,  then 
nothing  can  be  more  proper  than  to  apply  it  to  the  destruction 
of  the  wicked  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 

The  Scriptures  distinctly  teach  us,  that  when  the  Lord  Jesus 
shall  be  revealed  from  heaven,  it  will  be  in  flaming  fire,  taking 
vengeance  on  the  wicked,  who  shall  then  be  destroyed.  2 
Thess.  i.  7 ;  Rom.  ii.  5.  And  we  are  just  as  distinctly  taught 
that  the  angels  will  be  the  agents  employed  in  that  final  de- 
struction of  the  wicked.  Sinners  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins, 
might  be  represented  as  the  lifeless  carcasses  ;  and  the  awful 
descent  of  the  angels  from  heaven,  to  execute  the  judgments 
denounced  upon  the  incorrigible,  might  be  represented  fitly 
by  the  terrible  rushing  of  the  eagles  upon  their  prey.  And 
this  application,  too,  should  be  preferred  to  the  one  in  com- 
mon repute.  It  is  not  insisted  upon  however. 

3.  But,  in  relation  to  the  application  of  the  text,  it  should 
be  remembered,  that  the  illustration  itself  was  neither  new 
nor  unusual.     Long  before  the  Romans  were  heard  of,  the 
gathering  of  the  ea-gles  to  their  prey  was  a  proverb  among  the 
Orientals.     Job.  xxxix.  27-30. 

The  Old  Testament  contains  several  references  to  the  eagles ; 
and  sometimes,  it  seems,  the  ravages  of  armies  are  illustrated 
by  the  habits  of  this  bird.  But  whether  the  illustration  in 
the  verse  before  us  was  designed  to  apply  to  the  Romans  or 
not,  it  is  certain  that  a  little  less  positiveness  in  the  matter 
would  be  more  becoming :  and  a  little  more  attempt  at  proof 
would  be  desirable,  on  the  part  of  those  who  so  confidently 
teach  that  the  coming  of  the  Romans  is  intended. 

4.  After  all,  this  is  a  matter  of  but  little  consequence  in  its 
bearing  upon  this  Exposition.     If  it  refers  to  the  Romans,  its 
introduction  in  this  manner,  and  in  this  place,  is  exceedingly 


176  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

abrupt,  and  ten(is  greatly  to  confuse  the  mind,  in  its  efforts  to 
discover  the  chronological  relation  of  the  events  predicted. 

Allowing  the  application  of  the  illustration  to  the  Romans, 
it  seems  appropriate  to  read  it  in  connection  with  the  passage 
which  follows  it  in  the  Harmony,  which  is  the  next  one 
brought  under  notice. 

If  any  importance,  touching  this  point,  should  be  given  to 
the  seventeenth  chapter  of  Luke,  then  this  gathering  of  the 
eagles  to  the  carcass  should  be  considered  as  referring  to  that 
specific  time  when  there  should  be  "  two  men  in  one  bed  ;  the 
one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  left.  Two  women  shall  be 
grinding  together ;  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  left." 
"And  they  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Where,  Lord  ?  And 
he  said  unto  them,  Wheresoever  the  body  is,  thither  will  the 
eagles  be  gathered  together."  Luke  xvii.  34r-37. 

It  should  be  observed  here,  that  our  Lord  is  now,  (Luke  xvii.) 
speaking  of  a  particular  time  of  separation,  between  those 
most  intimately  associated.  And  it  was  to  be  "  in  that  night" 
And  there  is  nothing  in  the  whole  passage  that  appears  to 
have  the  remotest  reference  to  the  Romans.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  there  are  some  considerations  which  make  it  appear 
exceedingly  improper  so  to  apply  it;  especially  the  specific 
time  "in  that  night;"  and  likewise  the  nature  of  the  occur- 
rence which  would  then  take"  place :  not  the  escape  of  one, 
and  the  taking  of  the  other ;  but  a  taking  of  one  from  the  side 
of  another,  who  is  left. 

Now  what  was  there  during  the  whole  Roman  war  that  was 
so  prominent  among  the  other  events  as  to  mark  the  specific 
time  "  in  that  night,"  when  the  gathering  of  the  eagles  should 
be  dated  ?  And,  more  particularly,  what  was  there,  "  in  that 
night,"  that  corresponded  with  the  predicted  separation  of 
intimates — the  taking  of  one,  and  leaving  the  other?  What 
does  this  mean  ?  It  must  be  admitted  by  every  one,  that  our 
Lord  was  now,  (Luke  xvii.)  discoursing  of  the  "  day  when  the 
Son  of  man  is  revealed." 

Those  who  understand  the  Saviour  to  refer  to  his  literal  com- 
ing, to  separate  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  find  no 
indefiniteness  or  difficulty  in  the  passage.  For,  in  Matt.  xiii. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  177 

30,  we  learn  that  the  angels  will  be  directed  to  "gather  together 
first  the  tares,"  in  order  to  destroy  them ;  and  in  verse  49  we 
read,  "  So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the  world ;  the  angels  shall 
come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked  from  among  the  just "  In 
this  way  it  is  easy  to  perceive  how  two  may  be  together,  and 
one  may  be  taken,  and  the  other  left. 

And  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  too,  that  the  second  coming  of 
Christ  is  represented  as  being  in  the  night.  Matt.  xxv.  6. 

It  may  have  been  noticed  that  the  quotation  from  Luke 
xvii.  omitted  the  36th  verse.  This  was  designed ;  for  it  is 
quite  probable  that  that  verse  is  not  genuine. 

Our  best  divines  either  leave  it  out,  or  mark  as  doubtful  or 
interpolated.  Our  standard  Bible  has  this  marginal  note, 
"  This  36th  verse  is  wanting  in  most  of  the  Greek  copies."  Dr. 
Clarke  says,  "The  36th  verse  is,  without  doubt,  an  interpolation." 

Finally,  in  view  of  the  manifest  impropriety  of  applying  the 
illustration  of  the  lightning  to  the  coming  of  the  Komans,  as 
it  has  been  sufficiently  exhibited  in  the  proper  place ;  and  in 
view  of  the  consideration  that  the  Lord  was  not  then  referring 
to  the  Romans  at  all,  but  to  his  own  personal  advent,  as  con- 
trasted with  the  appearance  of  the  impostors,  why  should  the 
associated  illustration  of  the  eagles  be  so  confidently — without 
any  proof,  or  necessity — applied  to  the  Romans,  of  whom  he 
then  had  no  occasion  to  speak  ? 

Why  should  it  not  be  judged  to  refer  to  the  event  with 
which  it  is  associated  in  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  Luke  ? 
especially,  since  in  that  event  there  is  an  evident  propriety  of 
application,  and  since  it  was  at  that  point  the  evident  subject 
of  discourse  ? 

But,  as  previously  observed,  it  is  not  essential  to  the  theory 
of  this  Exposition  whether  the  illustration  of  the  eagles  be  ap- 
plied to  the  Romans  or  not ;  yet,  for  the  foregoing  reasons, 
the  author  prefers  the  application  either  to  the  coming  of  the 
impostors,  or  the  advent  of  Christ  with  his  holy  angels,  to  ex- 
ecute judgment  upon  the  incorrigible  at  the  end  of  the  world. 
"With  these  two  events  the  illustration  agrees  better  than  in 
its  application  to  the  Romans,  both  in  respect  to  its  connec- 
tions with  the  discourse,  and  with  the  nature  of  the  events. 
12 


178  HABMONT   AND   EXPOSITION. 

\Luke  :  AND  THEY  SHALL  FALL  BY  THE  EDGE  OF  THE  SWORD,  AND  SHALL  BE  LED 
AWAY  CAPTIVE  INTO  ALL  NATIONS  J  AND  JERUSALEM  SHALL  BE  TRODDEN  DOWN  OF  THE 
GENTILES,  UNTIL  THE  TIMES  OF  THE  GENTILES  BE  FULFILLED.] 

The  importance  of  this  passage  from  Luke  mnst  be  evident 
to  all.  It  is  surprising  that  it  has  had  so  little  prominency  in 
the  endeavors  of  biblical  writers  to  frame  a  theory  of  exposi- 
tion that  should  be  in  harmony  with  itself.  "  But  the  passage 
has  often  been  alluded  to."  Yes,  truly,  it  has  often  been  al- 
luded to,  and  that  is  about  all.  It  is  proper  here  to  remark, 

(1.)  This  passage  forms  a  part  of  the  Lord's  discourse,  just 
as  certainly  as  if  it  had  been  preserved  in  the  record  of  Mat- 
thew ;  for,  although  it  is  not  improper  to  suppose  that  some 
things  in  the  discourse  may  have  been,  for  wise  purposes, 
omitted  in  the  records,  yet  it  would  be  inexcusable  to  suppose 
that  any  of  the  inspired  writers  had  added  a  passage  that  the 
Lord  did  not  deliver.  This  would  be  a  false  record.  Let  it 
be  kept  in  mind,  then,  that  the  very  words  of  this  passage 
from  Luke  were  spoken  by  Christ ;  and  that  they  just  as  truly 
belong  to  this  prophecy  as  if  they  were  found  in  every  one 
of  the  evangelists. 

(2.)  It  is  obvious  that  some  importance  should  be  allowed 
to  the  position  which  this  passage  occupies  in  the  discourse. 
It  will  be  observed  from  the  Harmony  that  it  is  not  placed 
where  it  is  usually  found  in  the  Harmonies  which  are  in  com- 
mon use.  It  is  generally  placed  opposite  to  Matt.,  verse  21, 
22,  and  Mark,  verses  19,  20.  But  why  it  is  placed  there,  re- 
mains yet  to  be  discovered.  "Why  it  should  not  be  placed 
there,  will  appear  from  several  considerations. 

First.  It  is  out  of  the  chronological  order.  The  passage  it- 
self, as  all  may  perceive,  is  indefinitely  long,  as  it  relates  to 
the  time  of  its  fulfillment ;  and  a  principal  part  is  yet  unac- 
complished. But  it  is  made  to  occupy  a  position  where  it 
separates  events  which  transpired  in  connection  with  the  war 
that  desolated  the  land  seventeen  centuries  ago.  This,  of  itself, 
ought  to  be  sufficient  to  prove  that  the  passage  is  out  of  place 
in  our  common  Harmonies ;  for,  as  has  been  shown  in  this  Ex- 
position, our  Lord  had  great  respect  to  the  chronological  ord< 
of  events  in  framing  his  discourse. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  179 

Secondly.  In  its  present  position  in  the  Harmonies  in  com- 
mon use,  the  passage  does  not  make  good  sense.  It  is  placed 
opposite  to  the  verses  which  speak  of  the  Lord's  shortening 
those  days  of  tribulation,  lest  all  flesh  should  perish.  Of 
course  the  passage  in  question  is  made  to  refer  to  the  same 
days  that  the  Lord  had  shortened  for  the  elect's  sake.  But 
the  passage  itself  speaks  of  days  of  tribulation  that  have  al- 
ready lasted  nearly  eighteen  hundred  years,  and  are  yet  un- 
fulfilled. Now,  to  speak  of  having  shortened  the  longest 
national  dispersion  that  the  world  ever  witnessed,  is  not  to 
speak  good  sense.  It  is  doing  injury  to  the  natural  perception 
of  propriety  of  speech  which  forms  the  groundwork  of  all  in- 
telligent instruction,  and  the  only  rational  basis  of  conviction. 
And  the  inconsistency  of  making  the  passage  speak  in  this 
way,  is  aggravated  by  the  fact,  that,  while  these  days  are  yet 
unfulfilled,  so  far  from  there  being  a  probability  that  "  no 
flesh  should  be  saved,"  "  except  those  days  should  be  short- 
ened," the  Jews  have  wonderfully  increased  ;  and  probably  at 
this  moment  number  more  than  they  did  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Koman  war. 

Thirdly.  The  commentators  and  harmonists  who  have  ei- 
ther made  or  adopted  the  usual  arrangement  of  the  parallel 
passages,  completely  nullify  the  teaching  of  the  verse  in  ques- 
tion. They  do  it  in  this  way  :  When  pressed  to  define  what 
days  of  tribulation  those  were  that  were  shortened  for  the 
elect's  sake,  they  invariably  limit  them  to  the  time  of  the 
Roman  war,  and  particularly  to  the  final  siege  of  Jerusalem. 
But  this  completely  nullifies  the  teaching  of  the  passage  un- 
der notice  ;  for  this  passage  still  reaches  on  to  future  times, 
after  so  many  ages  of  partial  fulfillment. 

Fourthly.  By  putting  the  passage  from  Luke  into  its  pres- 
ent position  in  the  usual  Harmonies,  it  of  course  comes  in  be- 
fore the  verses  which  refer  to  the  appearance  of  the  false 
Christs  and  the  false  prophets  that  so  characterized  the  times 
of  the  Roman  war.  And,  according  to  the  ordinary  arrange- 
ment of  the  verses,  our  Lord  is  made  to  say,  after  giving  the 
prediction  in  question,  "Then  if  any  man  shall  say  unto  you, 


180  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

Lo,  here  is  Christ,  or  there  ;  believe  it  not.  For  there  shall 
arise  false  Christs  and  false  prophets,"  &c. 

Now,  whether  there  shall  be  such  impostors  after  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  passage  in  question,  is  possible,  perhaps ;  but 
that  the  prediction  of  these  impostors  was  literally  fulfilled 
during  the  Roman  war,  is  admitted  by  all.  Why,  then,  by 
such  a  collocation  of  verses,  divert  the  passage  from  its  legiti- 
mate teaching,  and  make  it  refer  to  another  period,  to  which 
it  does  not  belong  \ 

These  are  some  of  the  reasons  why  the  verse  in  question 
should  not  occupy  the  position  where  it  is  usually  found.  "We 
will  now  notice  a  few  things  to  justify  the  position  of  the  verse 
in  the  harmony  of  this  treatise. 

First.  We  notice  that  the  passage  cannot  ~be  out  of  place,  as 
it  respects  what  FOLLOWS  it.  For,  as  all  can  perceive  for  them- 
selves, it  was  placed  by  Luke  before  the  verses  relating  to  the 
signs  in  the  heavens.  Let  this  be  distinctly  understood  and 
remembered. 

Secondly.  As  it  relates  to  the  general  captivity  and  disper- 
sion of  the  Jews,  and  the  still  continued  downtreading  of  Je- 
rusalem by  the  Gentiles,  it  chronologically  belongs  to  the  pe- 
riod subsequent  to  the  final  siege  of  Jerusalem.  THIS  CANNOT 
BE  DENIED.  Now,  then,  if  our  Lord  continued  to  deliver  his 
predictions  in  chronological  order,  where  does  this  passage 
belong  ?  Precisely  where  you  find  it  in  this  Harmony.  It 
is  here  made  to  precede  the  prediction  of  the  signs  in  the 
heavens ;  and  to  follow  the  description  of  the  final  siege. 
Where  else  can  it  be  placed,  if  any  regard  be  had  for  the 
chronological  order  of  events  ? 

And  do  you  not  see  that  Luke  himself  has  placed  it  pre- 
cisely at  this  point  ?  The  preceding  verse  relates  to  the  "  great 
distress  in  the  land,  and  wrath  upon  this  people  ;"  and  it  is 
evidently  parallel  with  the  verses  in  Matthew  and  Mark  which 
speak  of  the  unexampled  tribulation  which  all  our  divines 
agree  in  referring  to  the  final  siege  of  Jerusalem. 

In  placing  the  24th  verse  of  Luke  where  it  is  found  in  this 
Harmony,  we  have  not  only  strictly  observed  the  chronologi- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  181 

cal  order  of  events,  but  we  have  most  certainly  followed  the 
inspired  writer,  who  was  moved  to  preserve  this  important 
passage. 

The  only  thing  necessary  to  add,  is,  that  Luke,  writing  a 
supplement  to  the  other  records,  and  finding  that  Matthew  and 
Mark  had  both  given  a  particular  narrative  of  the  prediction 
of  the  appearance  of  the  impostors,  did  not  think  it  necessary 
to  record  that  part  of  the  discourse.  And  it  will  be  observed 
that  what  he  omitted  belongs  to  the  period  of  the  war  and 
siege  of  Jerusalem,  and  was,  of  course,  antecedent  to  the  pe- 
riod embraced  in  the  verse  under  notice.  Certainly,  then,  in 
a  full  record  of  all  that  is  presented  of  our  Lord's  discourse, 
this  verse  must  come  in  precisely  where  this  Harmony  places  it. 
So  much  (and  is  it  not  enough  ?)  has  been  said  to  show  that 
the  verse  in  question  does  not  belong  where  it  is  usually  found 
in  the  Harmonies  in  common  use  ;  and  so  much,  to  show  that 
it  does  belong  precisely  where  this  Harmony  places  it.  The 
argument  is  intended  for  men  of  intelligence  and  candor. 
"And  tJiey  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword" 
This  is  a  condensed  statement  of  the  destructiveness  of  that 
terrible  war,  particularly  of  the  dreadful  slaughter  that  at- 
tended and  terminated  the  siege  of  the  capital.  A  particular 
account  of  the  Jews  during  that  war  has  already  been  given, 
and  need  not  be  repeated.  It  is  estimated  that  more  than  a 
million  perished  at  Jerusalem  alone. 

"And  shall  be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations" 
Never  was  a  prediction  more  literally  and  terribly  fulfilled. 
In  the  former  general  captivities  there  had  been  but  compara- 
tively little  dispersion  :  they  had  been  permitted  to  dwell  to- 
gether, to  some  extent,  even  in  the  land  of  their  captivity. 
Even  in  Egypt  the  great  body  of  the  Israelites  had  a  distinct 
portion  of  the  country  assigned  them,  and  had  their  own  reli- 
gious and  social  communities,  customs,  and  rules.  And 
when  the  ten  tribes  were  carried  away  into  captivity,  and  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  terminated,  the  people  appear  still  to  have 
inhabited  the  same  region  of  country,  as  a  general  thing,  and 
undoubtedly  enjoyed  more  or  less  of  their  peculiarities  of  re- 
ligion and  government. 


182  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

So,  likewise,  when  the  two  tribes  were  carried  away,  and 
the  kingdom  of  Judah  destroyed  for  a  season,  the  Jews  seem 
to  have  been  kept  in  the  same  region  of  country. 

But  the  captivity  predicted  by  the  Saviour  was  not  only 
more  general  than  the  former,  but  it  reached  the  extremity 
predicted  by  Moses  :  they  were  driven  to  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth.  It  is  not  designed  to  say,  in  the  foregoing  re- 
marks, that  the  Jews  were  not,  to  some  extent,  dispersed 
among  all  nations,  in  consequence  of  the  former  captivities ; 
but  only  that  the  dispersion  was  not  so  general  as  the  one  now 
under  consideration. 

The  two  tribes  were  carried  to  Babylon  ;  and  the  ten  tribes 
appear  to  have  been  carried  east  of  the  Tigris,  into  the  further 
regions  of  Assyria.  When  Judea  was  finally  laid  waste  by 
the  Romans,  and  the  people  either  destroyed  or  carried  cap- 
tive, the  dispersion  appears  to  have  been  more  general  than 
formerly.  This  may  not  have  resulted  immediately  ;  but  it 
did  result  finally,  as  the  facts  in  the  case  demonstrate. 

It  is  sufficient  to  answer  the  language  of  the  prediction,  if 
there  was  a  dispersion  among  the  principal  nations  then  ex- 
isting. But  what  then  began  by  the  Roman  captivity  has 
been  ever  since  fulfilling,  until  now  there  is  hardly  an  inhab- 
ited spot  where  the  descendants  of  Jacob  are  not  found.  They 
bleach  or  blacken  in  all  climes,  and  all  the  languages  of  the 
earth  are  spoken  by  Jewish  tongues.  For  some  divine  pur- 
pose, the  Jews  have  been  preserved  as  a  distinct  people,  du- 
ring the  long  ages  of  their  captivity ;  and  for  some  divine 
purpose  they  have  been  scattered  among  all  nations.  Their 
destiny  is  so  manifestly  providential,  that  there  is  reason  to 
believe  that  God  will  yet  use  them  for  some  great  work  in  the 
consummation  of  the  gospel  age.  We  shall  have  occasion  to 
refer  to  this  subject  again  in  connection  with  another  part  of 
the  chapter. 

"  And  Jerusalem  shall  ~be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  un- 
til the  times  of  the  Gentiles oe  fulfilled" 

The  meaning  of  this  appears  to  be,  (1.)  That  the  city  shall 
remain  in  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles  during  the  specified 
term.  But,  (2.)  By  being  trodden  down,  something  more  than 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  183 

7/iere possession-must  })e  intended:  it  is  a  term  that  denotes 
violence,  and,  applied  to  a  people,  oppression.  Now,  speak- 
ing of  the  city  with  reference  to  its  sacred  associations,  and 
speaking  of  it  especially  as  a  Jew  would  naturally  feel, 
the  Gentile  occupants  of  it  might  well  be  regarded  as  tramp- 
ling it  oppressively  under  their  feet,  even  when  they  did  not 
particularly  ravage  or  abuse  it.  In  the  possession  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, the  Jews  have  ever  regarded  it  as  an  abused  and  injured 
place.  It  occasions  great  pain  to  them  to  see  their  holy  city 
—  the  city  of  the  living  God  —  occupied  and  polluted  by  the 
uncircumcised  nations.  And  so  far  as  the  Jews  are  concerned, 
the  city  has  been  more  oppressed  and  abused  than  any  other 
on  the  face  of  the  globe. 

For  half,  a  century  after  its  desolation  by  the  Romans,  the 
city  remained  almost  entirely  unoccupied,  except  by  the  gar- 
rison that  was  stationed  there  to  keep  possession.  After  this 
the  Roman  emperor  rebuilt  the  city,  changed  its  name,  and 
placed  there  a  Roman  colony.  Thus  it  remained  until  the 
time  of  Constantine,  the  first  Christian  emperor,  when  the 
city,  and  indeed  the  whole  country,  was  Christianized,  if  such 
a  term  may  be  used  to  describe  such  a  conversion  and  revo- 
lution as  were  brought  about  by  Oonstantine  and  his  pious 
mother,  the  celebrated  empress  Helena.  Jerusalem  now  be- 
came to  the  Christian  what  it  had  formerly  been  to  the  Jew  ; 
but  still  to  the  Jew  it  was  a  forbidden  city,  for  it  was  kept 
under  the  control  of  the  Christian  Gentiles.  And  the  Chris- 
tians seemed  to  regard  the  Jew  as  being  as  great  an  abomi- 
nation as  the  Jew  had  formerly  regarded  the  heathen.  The 
Christianizing  of  the  country  was  not,  then,  any  great  favor 
to  the  Jews ;  the  city  of  his  fathers,  and  of  his  father's  God, 
was  to  him  a  forbidden  place.  And  this  prediction  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  was  doubtless  as  well  understood  by  the  people 
then  as  it  is  now.  So  far  the  prediction  had  been  literally 
fulfilled.  But  Providence  was  willing  to  permit  it  to  be 
publicly  tested  whether  the  word  of  Christ  should  fail  in  this 
important  matter. 

After  Constantine  had  reigned  thirty  years,  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Constantius  the  Second,  who  reigned  twenty-four 


184:  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

years.  Then  that  wonderful  man,  JULIAN,  called  the  APOS- 
TATE, became  emperor  of  Rome,  A.  D.  361.  Julian  appears 
to  have  been  the  most  learned  and  philosophic,  the  most  able, 
brave,  and  successful,  and,  in  his  way,  the  most  religious,  of 
the  emperors  of  that  age  of  the  world.  He  was  educated  in  the 
belief  and  practice  of  the  Christian  religion  by  Eusebius,  an 
Arian  Bishop  of  Nicomedia.*  But  as  Julian  was  finally  brought 
into  open  conflict  with  his  brother  Constantius,  the  emperor, 
who  was  a  professor  of  Christianity  of  the  Athanasian  party,  Ju- 
lian was  not  only  brought  to  oppose  the  dominion  of  Constantius, 
but  also  his  religion,  and  his  Lord.  Succeeding  to  the  em- 
pire, he  eventually  made  an  open  renunciation  of  Christianity, 
and  embraced  the  religion  of  the  Pagans,  and  became  remark- 
ably zealous  in  promoting  paganism  and  conforming  to  its 
practices.  This  gained  for  him  the  title  of  Apostate.  But  he 
issued  an  imperial  decree,  granting  free  toleration  to  all  the 
religions  of  the  empire.  Probably  out  of  hatred  to  the  reli- 
gion from  which  he  had  apostatized,  more  than  from  any 
other  motive,  and  from  a  desire  to  defeat  the  very  prediction 
now  under  consideration,  "he  embraced  the  extraordinary 
design  of  rebuilding  the  temple  of  Jerusalem."  He  must,  of 
course,  make  some  pretence  of  piety  to  explain  such  an  un- 
expected and  singular  enterprise.  "  In  a  public  epistle  to  the 
nation  or  community  of  the  Jews,  dispersed  through  the 
provinces,  he  pities  their  misfortunes,  condemns  their  oppres- 
sors, praises  their  constancy,  declares  himself  their  gracious 
protector,  and  expresses  a  pious  hope,  that  after  his  return 
from  the  Persian  war,  he  may  be  permitted  to  pay  his  grate- 
ful vows  to  the  Almighty  in  his  holy  city  of  Jerusalem." 

Jerusalem  was  at  this  time,  we  should  recollect,  in  the 
possession  of  the  Christians.  The  church  of  the  Holy  Sepul- 
chre, and  other  magnificent  buildings  of  Christian  origin, 
adorned  it ;  and  the  church  there  was  numerous,  wealthy,  and 
enjoyed  a  preeminence  somewhat  proportional  to  the  remarka- 
bleness  of  the  city  itself.  It  was  visited,  as  it  is  now,  by 
pilgrims  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  But  the  Christians  then, 

*  This  was  not  Eusebius  Pamphilius,  the  celebrated  Ecclesiastical  Histo- 
rian j  but  an  Arian  Bishop,  who  was  contemporary  with  him. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  185 

as  now,  were  almost  exclusively  Gentiles,  and  the  prediction 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  was  still  fulfilling. 

To  quote  again  from  Gibbon's  Decline  and  Fall,  "  The  vain 
and  ambitious  mind  of  Julian  might  aspire  to  restore  the 
ancient  glory  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem.  As  the  Christians 
were  firmly  persuaded  that  a  sentence  of  everlasting  destruc- 
tion had  been  pronounced  against  the  whole  fabric  of  the 
Mosaic  law,  the  imperial  sophist  would  have  converted  the 
success  of  his  undertaking  into  a  specious  argument  against 
the  faith  of  prophecy,  and  the  truth  of  revelation." 

The  Apostate  at  first  designed  to  prosecute  the  Persian 
war,  and  then  carry  out  his  ambitious  designs  respecting  the 
holy  city.  But  as  he  contemplated  the  advantages  which 
success  in  his  building  enterprize  might  give  him,  as  an 
opposer  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  he  changed  his  plans  :  "The 
prospect  of  an  immediate  and  important  advantage  would 
not  suffer  the  impatient  monarch  to  expect  the  remote  and 
uncertain  event  of  the  Persian  war.  He  resolved  to  erect, 
without  delay,  on  the  commanding  eminence  of  Moriah,  a 
stately  temple,  which  might  eclipse  the  splendor  of  the  church 
of  the  Eesurrection  on  the  adjacent  hill  of  Calvary ;  to 
establish  an  order  of  priests,  whose  interested  zeal  would 
detect  the  arts,  and  resist  the  ambition,  of  their  Christian 
rivals  ;  and  to  invite  a  numerous  colony  of  Jews,  whose  stern 
fanaticism  would  be  always  prepared  to  second,  and  even  to 
anticipate,  the  hostile  measures  of  the  Pagan  government." 
The  emperor  now  selected  his  men,  and  had  the  work  com- 
menced with  the  order  with  which  all  his  enterprizes  were 
undertaken.  The  officer  who  was  appointed  to  superintend 
the  affair,  "  received  an  extraordinary  commission  to  restore, 
in  its  pristine  beauty,  the  temple  of  Jerusalem."  "  At  the 
call  of  their  great  deliverer,  the  Jews,  from  all  the  provinces 
of  the  empire,  assembled  on  the  holy  mountain  of  their 
fathers ;  and  their  insolent  triumph  alarmed  and  exasperated 
the  Christian  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  The  desire  of  re- 
building the  temple  has  in  every  age  been  the  ruling  passion 
of  the  children  of  Israel.  In  this  propitious  moment  the 
men  forgot  their  avarice,  and  the  women  their  delicacy; 


186  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

spades  and  pick-axes  of  silver  were  provided  by  the  vanity  of 
the  rich,  and  the  rubbish  was  transported  in  mantles  of  silk 
and  purple!  Every  purse  was  opened  in  liberal  contribu- 
tions, every  hand  claimed  a  share  in  the  pious  labor  ;  and  the 
commands  of  a  great  monarch  were  executed  by  the  enthu- 
siasm of  a  whole  people." 

Here,  now,  we  have  a  systematic  and  powerful  combina- 
tion to  hinder  the  further  fulfillment  of  this  wonderful 
prophecy.  All  that  imperial  authority,  wealth,  influence  and 
zeal  could  do,  —  all  that  they  could  do,  assisted  by  such  zeal 
and  energy  as  were  exhibited  by  the  assembled  Jews,  —  all 
this  was  brought  to  bear  against  the  truth  of  this  prophecy. 
"What  was  the  result  ?  The  sceptical  historian  has  sufficiently 
answered:  "Yet  on  this  occasion,  the  joint  efforts  of  power 
and  enthusiasm  were  unsuccessful ;  and  the  ground  of  the 
Jewish  temple,  which  is  now  covered  by  a  Mahometan 
mosque,  still  continued  to  exhibit  the  same  edifying  spectacle 
of  ruin  and  desolation."  Providence  interposed  by  taking 
away  the  life  of  the  profane  Apostate ;  he  lived  but  six  months 
after  commencing  his  undertaking.  "But,"  continues  the 
historian,  "  the  Christians  entertained  a  natural  and  pious 
expectation,  that,  in  this  memorable  contest,  the  honor  of 
religion  would  be  vindicated  by  some  signal  miracle.  An 
earthquake,  a  whirlwind,  and  a  fiery  eruption,  which  over- 
turned and  scattered  the  new  foundations  of  the  temple,  are 
attested,  with  some  variations,  by  contemporary  and  respecta- 
ble evidence.  This  public  event  is  described  by  Ambrose, 
bishop  of  Milan,  in  an  epistle  to  the  emperor  Theodosius,  which 
must  provoke  the  severe  animadversion  of  the  Jews  ;  by  the 
eloquent  Chrysostom,  who  might  appeal  to  the  memory  of 
the  elder  part  of  his  congregation  at  Antioch  ;  and  by  Greg- 
ory Nazianzen,  who  published  his  account  of  the  miracle 
before  the  expiration  of  the  same  year.  The  last  of  these 
writers  has  boldly  declared,  that  this  preturnatural  event  was 
not  disputed  by  the  infidels  ;  and  his  assertion,  strange  as  it 
may  seem,  is  confirmed  by  the  unexceptionable  testimony  of 
Ammianus  Marcellinus.  The  philosophic  soldier,  who  loved 
the  virtues,  without  adopting  the  prejudices  of  his  master,  has 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  1ST 

recorded,  in  his  judicious  and  candid  history  of  his  own  times, 
the  extraordinary  obstacles  which  interrupted  the  restoration 
of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem.  4  Whilst  Alypius,  [the  super- 
intendent under  Julian]  assisted  by  the  governor  of  the 
province,  urged,  with  vigor  and  diligence,  the  execution  of 
the  work,  horrible  balls  of  fire  breaking  out  near  the  founda- 
tions, with  frequent  and  reiterated  attacks,  rendered  the  place, 
from  time  to  time,  inaccessible  to  the  scorched  and  blasted 
workmen  ;  and  the  victorious  element  continuing  in  this  man- 
ner, obstinately  and  resolutely  bent,  as  it  were,  to  drive  them 
to  a  distance,  the  undertaking  was  abandoned.'  Such  au- 
thority should  satisfy  a  believing,  and  must  astonish  an 
incredulous,  mind."  See  Gibbon's  Decline  and  Fall  of  the 
Roman  Empire. 

This  writer  last  quoted  by  Gibbon,  with  such  a  commenda- 
tion, was  the  emperor's  private  secretary,  and  finally  wrote 
his  biography.  So  this  attempt  to  defeat  the  fulfillment  of 
this  prophecy  proved  abortive.  The  city  continued  in  about 
the  same  condition  two  or  three  hundred  years.  Then  it  was 
taken  and  plundered  by  the  Persians.  Then  it  was  taken 
from  the  Persians  by  the  emperor  Heraclius,  who  restored  it 
to  the  Christians  again;  and  the  Jews  were  forbidden  to 
come  within  three  miles  of  the  city.  Not  long  after,  it  was 
taken  by  the  Mahometans,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the 
time  it  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Crusaders,  (who  were  also 
Gentiles,)  it  has  been  trodden  under  foot  by  the  followers  of 
the  false  prophet.  How  the  city  is  situated  at  the  present 
day,  is  too  well  known  to  need  a  particular  description  ;  the 
crescent  of  Omar's  mosque  still  glitters  upon  Moriah,  and  the 
Gentile  treads  the  summit  of  Zion  ;  while  the  poor,  despised, 
insulted  Jew  crawls  to  a  remaining  fragment  of  the  ancient 
wall,  that  he  may  kiss  the  stones  of  his  father's  habitation, 
and  lift  up  his  wailing  cry,  "How  long,  Oh,  Lord,  how 
long?" 

"  Until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  ~be  fulfilled" 
The  treading  down  of  Jerusalem,  though  continued  long, 
is  limited.     When  that  period  has  transpired  which  is  here 
called  "  the  times  of  the  Gentiles,"  the  holy  city  will  cease  to 


188  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

be  trodden  down,  as  it  has  been  since  its  desolation  by  the 
Romans.  It  seems  rational  to  suppose,  that  at  that  time,  it 
will  again  come  into  the  possession  of  the  Jews. 

But  what  are  we  to  understand  by  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  ? 
undoubtedly  the  same  as  St.  Paul  intends  by  the  fullness  of 
the  Gentiles.  Rom.  xi.  25. 

"Wesley's  annotation  is,  "  The  times  of  the  Gentiles — that 
is,  the  times  limited  for  their  treading  the  city  ;  which  shall 
terminate  in  the  full  conversion  of  the  Gentiles."  His  note 
on  the  expression  in  Romans  is,  "  Till  there  be  a  vast  harvest 
among  the  heathen."  "Wesley's  view  of  the  extent  of  this 
conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  is  given  more  definitely  in  his 
note  on  the  next  verse,  —  "  And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved, — 
being  convinced  by  the  coming  in  of  the  Gentiles.  But  there 
will  be  a  still  larger  harvest  among  the  Gentiles,  when  all 
Israel  is  come  in." 

Providence  has  limited  a  time,  during  which  the  Gentiles, 
in  large  numbers,  will  be  converted  ;  and  a  certain  period,  or 
extent,  of  that  conversion  among  the  Gentiles  is  called  their 
fullness,  and  \ho>  fulfilling  of  their  times.  Until  that  period 
shall  arrive,  the  Jews  will  be  generally  blinded :  the  vail  will 
be  upon  their  hearts  ;  they  will  remain  dispersed  among  the 
nations,  and  the  Gentiles  will  possess  their  capital  city.  At 
a  certain  period  of  the  prevalence  of  the  gospel  among  the 
Gentiles,  the  blindness  which  had  previously  hindered  the 
conversion  of  the  Jews  shall  be  taken  away,  and  they  be 
generally  gathered  unto  Christ.  With  this  change  in  their 
spiritual  condition,  will  occur  a  change  in  their  political. 
Providence  will  gather  them  in  from  their  captivity  among 
the  nations,  and  their  holy  city  shall  be  no  longer  trodden 
down  by  the  Gentiles. 

Dr.  Clarke's  comment  on  the  words  under  notice  is  not  very 
dissimilar  to  Wesley's.  "  Till  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles 
come  in,  —  i.  e.,  till  all  the  nations  of  the  world  should  receive 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  after  which  the  Jews  themselves  should 
be  converted  to  God." 

Whitby's  view  is  thus  expressed :  "  Jerusalem  shall  be 
inhabited,  not  by  the  Jews,  but  by  the  Gentiles  ruling  there, 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  189 

till  the  season  for  the  full  conversion  of  the  still  hea  hen 
Gentiles  shall  come  in  ;  i.  e.,  till  the  time  of  the  conversion 
of  the  Jews,  and  the  flowing  in  of  all  nations  to  them." 

These  justly  celebrated  divines  have  undoubtedly  given — • 
generally  speaking — the  true  sense  of  the  passage.  Bui 
there  seems  to  be  a  necessity  of  speaking  of  the  conversion 
of  the  Gentiles  with  some  limitations ;  for  the  same  passages 
which  are  relied  upon  to  prove  the  ingathering,  evidently 
teach  that  it  will  be  only  a  general,  not  a  universal,  conver- 
sion. And  some  passages  which  refer  to  that  time  expressly 
teach  that  all  will  not  be  converted  when  the  Lord  comes  to 
judgment. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Principal  Subject — DARKENING  THE  SUN,  &c.    YARIOUS  IN- 
TERPRETATIONS REVIEWED. 

The  Figurative  Theory  not  very  Ancient  —  Influence  of  a  Mistake  —  Nature 
of  the  Argument  —  Plan  of  the  Argument  —  Two  Branches  of  the  Figura- 
tive Theory  —  The  Difference  —  Double  Sense  Theory  —  Robinson's — Ar- 
guments used  in  sustaining  the  Figurative  Theories  —  Examination  and 
Refutation  —  Review  of  Whitby  —  What  led  him  into  his  Peculiar  Views — • 
Difficulties  of  Error — Whitby  against  Grotius  and  Whiston  —  Newton's 
Theory — The  Argument  on  "Immediately  after  the  Tribulation  of  those 
days,"  reviewed  —  Josephus  —  Facts — Appeal  to  Logic  —  Conclusion — 
The  Argument  relating  to  the  Figurative  Language  of  the  Old  Testament 
considered — The  Prophecy  of  Joel — The  Question  Settled  —  An  Exegeti- 
cal  Curiosity  —  Peter's  Reference  to  the  Prophecy  of  Joel  —  How  did  he 
understand  it  ?  —  Other  specimens  from  the  Old  Testament  —  An  important 
Fact  in  the  case  —  Origin  and  Proprieties  of  Metaphorical  Language. 

Verse  29.     IMMEDIATELY  AFTER  THE  TRIBULATION  OF  THOSE  DAYS,  SHALL  THE  SUN 

BE  DARKENED,  AND  THE  MOON  SHALL  NOT  GIVE  HER  LIGHT,  AND  THE  STARS  SHALL  KALI 
FROM  HEAVEN. 

MOST  of  the  modern  divines  have  considered  this  verse,  and 
those  associated  with  it,  as  figurative,  and  have  made  their 
expositions  accordingly.  Their  ingenious  theories  of  exegesis 


190  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

have  become  extensively  and  permanently  incorporated  with 
our  standard  biblical  literature.  And,  such  being  the  char- 
acter of  the  books  of  study  and  reference  in  ministerial  educa- 
tion and  labor,  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  the  opinions  of 
our  leading  commentators  should  almost  universally  obtain 
with  the  ministry  and  membership  of  the  modern  church.  It 
will  be  as  difficult  now  to  change  the  deep  impressions  and 
permanent  modes  of  thinking  on  this  subject,  as  to  alter  the 
deep- worn  courses  of  our  rivers,  or  change  the  direction  of  the 
streets  of  our  cities. 

It  seems,  however,  from  the  concessions  of  some  of  our 
leading  divines,  that  the  figurative  theory  of  expounding  this 
portion  of  the  Scriptures  is  modern :  it  was  not  so  interpreted, 
usually,  by  the  ancient  commentators.  Dr.  Clarke,  who  was, 
perhaps,  as  well  qualified  to  judge  in  this  matter  as  any  man, 
makes  this  concession.  His  words  —  or  Bishop  Newton's, 
rather;  for  he  copies  from  the  Bishop  —  his  words  are  — 
"  Commentators  generally  understand  this,  and  what  follows, 
of  the  end  of  the  world,  and  Christ's  coming  to  judgment :  but 
the  word  immediately  shows  that  our  Lord  was  not  speaking 
of  any  distant  event,  but  of  something  immediately  conse- 
quent on  calamities  already  predicted ;  and  that  must  be  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem." 

Upon  whom  rests  the  responsibility  of  changing  the  more 
ancient  channels  of  thought,  and  diverting  the  former  convic- 
tions of  the  church  from  the  simple  literal  into  the  metaphor- 
ical, it  may  not  be  easy  to  determine.  But  there  is  a  natural 
tendency  in  the  reflective  mind  to  follow  up  the  streams  of 
passing  events,  and  discover,  if  possible,  their  first  beginnings. 
We  love  to  explore  the  majestic  rivers  that  flow  deep  and 
broad  along  our  borders,  until  we  may  stand  with  a  foot  on 
either  side,  and  gaze  down  into  the  little  fountains  whence 
they  originate.  And  even  if  these  remote  beginnings  lie 
hid  in  the  inaccessible  regions  where  we  may  not  extend  our 
researches,  still  we  like  to  ascend  as  near  to  the  undiscovered 
sources  as  possible. 

As  it  is  evident  that  the  present  usual  method  of  expound- 
ing this  part  of  the  Scriptures  is  not  the  more  ancient — the 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  191 

primary  method — but  one  of  quite  recent  origin,  the  author 
has  felt  a  great  desire  to  trace  the  principal  figurative  meth- 
ods back  to  their  origin.  He  has  not  succeeded,  however,  as 
well  as  he  hopes  some  other  person  may  do ;  but  so  far  as  he 
has  accomplished  his  design,  it  appears  that  Bishop  Pearce 
either  invented,  or,  more  probably,  adopted  from  some  earlier 
writer,  the  leading  features  of  the  common  figurative  theory ; 
and  that  Bishop  Newton,  in  his  work  on  the  Prophecies,  en- 
dorsed and  adopted  the  theory ;  and  from  him  it  has  been 
borrowed  by  many  writers  of  more  recent  date.  The  inves- 
tigations of  the  author  have  not  furnished  him  with  any  evi- 
dence that  the  present  usually  adopted  methods  of  figurative 
exegesis  are  of  any  great  antiquity,  or  of  any  such  authority 
as  might  properly  deter  a  man  from  examining  them,  with  a 
view  to  test  their  truthfulness  and  propriety.  Like  all  other 
merely  human  methods  and  opinions,  they  may  be  erroneous ; 
and  no  one  can  reasonably  censure  an  honest  difference  of 
opinion,  or  a  respectful,  but  earnest,  opposition,  if  they  are 
conceived  to  be  erroneous  theories,  and  injurious  to  the  cause 
of  truth. 

The  author  has  employed  a  large  portion  of  his  time,  and 
devoted  his  very  best  efforts,  to  the  investigation  of  this  sub- 
ject. And  the  reader  may  be  assured  that  what  may  be 
advanced  for  his  consideration,  is  not  the  result  of  mere  cap- 
tiousness,  or  springs  from  any  desire  to  be  found  arrayed 
against  the  popular  opinions  of  the  age. 

In  accounting  for  the  origin  of  the  figurative  theories  of 
exegesis  in  common  use,  it  may  be  difficult  to  determine  how 
much  influence  has  been  exerted  by  Bishop  Pearce's  mistake 
in  applying  the  27th  verse  to  the  coming  and  conquest  of  the 
Romans.  But  as  that  verse  must  be  regarded  as  a  key  to 
much  that  follows,  an  essential  error  in  the  explanation  of  that 
verse  must  be  fatal  to  the  correctness  of  the  exposition  of  the 
verse  now  under  comment. 

Of  the  probable  history  of  that  most  egregious  and  fatal 
error,  perhaps  enough  has  already  been  said.  If  undeniable 
facts  can  demolish  a  fanciful  theory,  the  usual  application  of 


192  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


the  STtli  verse  has  been  demonstrated  *  to  be  utterly  without 
foundation.  And  so  far  as  the  explanation  of  that  verse  af- 
fects the  passage  before  us,  so  far  the  argument  is  an  argument 
of  facts,  and  not  of  mere  opinions.  It  is  not  the  author  of 
this  Treatise  in  array  against  the  good  and  great  men  from 
whom  he  has  the  fate  to  differ  ;  but  it  is  an  army  of  authen- 
ticated facts  arrayed  against  dignified,  popular,  but  erroneous 
opinions. 

With  a  full  persuasion  of  the  erroneousness  and  injurious- 
ness  of  the  usual  methods  of  expounding  this  part  of  the 
prophecy  of  our  Lord,  conscious  of  entire  purity  of  motive, 
and  confiding  in  the  great  Author  of  truth,  the  writer  reso- 
lutely braces  himself  to  the  task,  which,  undesired  on  his  part, 
Providence  seems,  to  some  extent,  to  have  assigned  to  so  un- 
worthy an  instrumentality. 

The  plan  of  procedure,  in  this  part  of  the  Exposition,  will 
be,  Firstly,  To  notice  the  usual  figurative  exegesis  of  the  pas- 
sage. Secondly,  To  exhibit  the  arguments  usually  employed 
in  support  of  such  exegesis.  Thirdly,  Review  those  arguments. 
Fourthly,  Give,  and  defend,  the  true  exposition. 

I.  The  figurative  theory  is  first  to  be  considered. 

Whitby's  comment  may  be  selected  as  embodying  the  sub- 
stance of  this  theory,  though  in  some  things  he  differs  from 
most  of  the  others,  in  relation  to  the  time  intended  by  the 
"  tribulation  of  those  days." 

"  It  being  foretold  that  this  should  happen  immediately 
after  the  wasting  of  the  Jews  by  Vespasian's  army  flying 
quickly  through  Galilee,  Idumea,  and  Judea  ;  this  cannot  be 
taken  literally,  because  no  such  thing  then  happened  to  the 
sun,  moon,  or  stars.  It  must  be,  therefore,  a  metaphorical 
expression,  to  signify,  as  it  doth  frequently  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  other  writers,  an  utter  desolation,  and  terrible  de- 
struction, brought  upon  a  nation,  and  upon  their  capital  cities, 
compared  to  the  sun  and  moon  ;  for  in  this  language  the 
prophet  Isaiah  speaks  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon,  saying, 
xiii.  9,  10,  *  The  day  of  the  Lord  cometh,  cruel  both  with 

*  The  reader  is  supposed  to  have  read  the  second  Appendix,  in  its  proper 
connections. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  193 

wrath  and  fierce  anger,  to  lay  the  land  desolate  ;  and  he  shall 
destroy  the  sinners  thereof  out  of  it ;  for  the  stars  of  heaven 
and  the  constellations  thereof  shall  not  give  their  light ;  and 
the  sun  shall  be  darkened  in  his  going  forth,  and  the  moon 
shall  not  cause  her  light  to  shine.'  The  indignation  of  God 
against  the  Idumeans  is  represented  in  like  dreadful  words, 
Isa.  xxxiv.  3,  4 ;  so  is  the  destruction  of  Sennacherib  and  his 
people,  Isa.  li.  6 ;  BO  is  the  destruction  of  Egypt,  Ezek.  xxxii. 
7.  And  in  these  v/ords  this  very  destruction  is  foretold  by 
Joel,  <  The  sun  and  the  moon  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  stars 
shall  not  give  their  light.  (Joel  iii.  15,  ii.  31.) 

"  This,  therefore,  saith  Maimonides,  '  is  a  proverbial  expres- 
sion, importing  the  destruction  and  utter  ruin  of  a  nation.' 
Artemidorus  also  saith,  that,  '  the  sun  darkened  or  turned  into 
blood,  and  the  stars  falling,  or  disappearing,  import  the  de- 
struction of  many  people.'  And  in  this  sense  it  is  almost  in- 
credible, which  Josephus  saith,  viz:  that  eleven  hundred 
thousand  perished  in  that  siege."  Whitby  continues,  "Anoth- 
er exposition  of  these  words  is  this,  That  then  there  shall  be  a 
destruction  of  their  ecclesiastical  and  civil  state,  and  of  the 
rulers  of  them  both ;  according  to  these  words  of  Maimonides, 
'This  metaphor  imports,  that  men  who  for  their  state  and 
dignity  might  be  compared  to  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  shall 
suddenly  fall  down  as  a  leaf  from  the  vine  and  from  the  fig  tree.' 

"And  this  happened  a  considerable  time  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  when  the  thieves  and  zealots,  saith  Josephus, 
*  kept  all  the  nobles,  and  rulers  of  the  country,  in  close  custo- 
dy ;'  when  the  zealots  '  slew  and  consumed  the  nobility,  and 
made  it  their  business  to  leave  none  of  the  men  of  power 
alive,'  and  when  c  twelve  thousand  of  the  nobility  perished 
after  this  manner ;'  when  the  high  priests,  and  among  them 
Ananus,  were  destroyed  by  the  Idumeans,  which  Josephus 
reckons  '  the  beginning  of  their  captivity ;'  when  they  '  abol- 
ished the  families  of  the  high  priest  by  succession,  and  placed 
in  their  room  men  ignoble  and  unknown,  wjio  neither  belong- 
ed to  the  priesthood,  nor  knew  what  the  office  of  high  priest 
meant.'  That  this  was  to  happen  before  '  the  great  and  ter- 
rible day  of  the  Lord,'  or  at  that  time,  we  learn  from  the 
If 


194  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

prophet  Joel,  saying,  that  '  then  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,' 
&c.  This  therefore  cannot  be  referred  to  any  time  after  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem." 

Thus  far  the  learned  and  critical  Whitby. 

Dr.  Clarke  adopts,  from  Lightfoot,  the  same  general  princi- 
ple of  exegesis  ;  but  it  will  be  seen  that  he  places  the  darken- 
ing of  the  heavenly  lights  after  the  fall  of  Jerusalem. 

"  The  word  immediately  shows  that  our  Lord  was  not 
speaking  of  any  distant  event,  but  of  something  immediately 
consequent  on  calamities  already  predicted  ;  and  that  must  le 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem"  Quoting  Lightfoot,  he  contin- 
ues, "  The  Jewish  heaven  shall  perish,  and  the  sun  and  moon 
of  its  glory  and  happiness  shall  be  darkened  • —  brought  to 
nothing.  The  sun  is  the  religion  of  the  church  ;  the  moon  is 
the  government  of  the  state  ;  and  the  stars  are  the  judges  and 
doctors  of  both."  This  is  followed  by  the  usual  Scriptural 
references. 

There  is  just  this  specific  difference  between  Dr.  Clarke  and 
Whitby ;  while  both  reject  the  literal  interpretation  of  the 
passage,  and  refer  to  the  same  Scriptures  for  proof,  yet,  strange- 
ly, one  places  the  event  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  other  after  ! 

These  two  commentators  may  be  regarded  as  having  ex- 
pressed the  present  usual  understanding  of  the  passage  before 
us,  with  this  most  remarkable  circumstance ;  that  the  same 
texts  of  Scripture  which  lead  one  to  place  the  event  previous 
to  the  fall  of  the  city,  lead  the  other  to  place  it  afterward! 
And  the  many  divines  who  have  more  or  less  followed  in  the 
metaphorical  theory,  appear  to  have  found  some  difficulty  in 
deciding  between  these  two  opinions ;  and  they  have  generally 
not  chosen  to  speak  definitely  on  the  point.  Perhaps  some  of 
them  did  not  think  it  was  of  much  importance  which  way  it 
was  decided,  if  it  was  only  figurative. 

The  theory  of  double  sense,  or  the  typical  method  of  inter- 
preting the  passage,  appears  to  have  had  less  favor  with  our 
divines.  Matthew  Henry  almost  adopts  it,  and  Richard 
Watson  adopts  it  fully.  Several  others  refer  to  it  favorably. 
But,  as  a  late  writer  has  shrewdly  remarked,  (Meth.  Quar. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  195 

"Review,  July,  1842,)  "  If  commentators  could  make  out  a  lit- 
eral or  a  figurative  sense,  clear  of  difficulty,  they  would  adopt 
it.  But  as  they  cannot  do  this,  they  destroy  the  difficulty  by 
doubling  it.  Because  they  cannot  make  it  either,  they  make 
it  both ;  and  thus  make  our  Lord  utter  about  two  subjects 
at  the  same  time,  what  seems  to  them  to  be  applicable  to 
neither." 

Dr.  Robinson  has  a  theory  to  explain  this  passage,  which 
differs  from  all  those  which  are  found  in  the  works  consulted 
in  writing  this  Treatise.  He  says,  in  his  Harmony,  "  The 
subsequent  desolation  and  calamity  spoken  of  in  Matt.  xxiv. 
29-31,  and  the  parallel  passages,  I  refer  to  the  overthrow  and 
complete  extirpation  of  the  Jewish  people  fifty  years  later 
under  Adrian ;  when  they  were  sold  as  slaves,  and  utterly 
driven  out  from  the  land  of  their  fathers." 

The  foregoing  extracts  contain  all  the  essential  points  in 
the  usual  theories  of  figurative  exegesis  of  this  part  of  the 
chapter.  They  all  agree  in  rejecting  the  literal  exposition ; 
and  they  all  agree  in  the  general  application  of  the  language 
to  the  Jewish  government,  church,  and  people.  And,  fur- 
thermore, with  the  exception  of  Dr.  Robinson,  they  all  agree 
in  limiting  the  fulfillment  of  the  prediction  to  the  period  of 
the  Jewish  calamities  under  the  Romans. 

II.  The  arguments  relied  upon  to  sustain  the  figurative 
theory,  are  of  several  kinds. 

1.  Because  it  was  predicted  that  these  things  should  take 
place  "  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days"  And 
the  days  spoken  of  are  understood  to  mean  the  time  of  the 
calamities  which  befell  the  Jews  during  the  Roman  war,  and, 
especially  during  the  dreadful  siege  of  Jerusalem.  This  lat- 
ter sentence,  however,  will  not  apply  to  the  argument  of 
Whitby,  who  thinks  that  "  those  days  "  refer  to  an  earlier  pe- 
riod of  the  war.  Now,  as  the  darkening  of  the  luminaries  of 
heaven  was  to  take  place  "  immediately  "  after  that  time,  and 
as  we  have  no  account  of  any  such  occurrence  transpiring 
literally,  it  is  concluded  therefore,  that  the  passage  is  meta- 
phorical, and  should  be  applied  to  the  calamities  of  the  Jew- 
ish people. 


196  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

2.  Another  source  of  argument  is  found  in  the  metaphorical 
use  of  just  such  imagery,  which  all  admit  was  intended  to  ap- 
ply to  just  such  national  and  ecclesiastical  afflictions.     And 
there  is  no  lack  of  examples  of  this  kind.     The  passage  from 
Joel  is  relied  upon  with  great  confidence,  inasmuch  as  that 
prophet  appeared  to  have  this  very  time  in  view.     And  this 
is  not  a  little  strengthened  by  the  consideration,  that  Peter 
applied  this  very  prophecy  of  Joel  to  the  Jews  of  that  day. 
Indeed,  it  is  an  indeniable  truth,  that  the  prophets  were  ac- 
customed so  to  speak  of  temporal  things :  the  instances  are 
very   numerous.      And    this   argument   appears   greatly   to 
strengthen  the  other.     For  if  this  part  of  the  chapter  cannot 
be  interpreted  literally,  and  yet  must  be  explained  in  some 
way ;  and  if  it  was  customary  to  deliver  prophecies  of  tem- 
poral things  in  language  identical  or  similar  with  this  lan- 
guage ;  and  if  an  inspired  apostle  has  specifically  applied  one 
of  those  prophecies  to  this  very  people,  and  to  this  very  time ; 
— how  can  we  refrain  from  the  conclusion,  that  the  Lord  de- 
signed his  prediction  to  be  interpreted  in  the  same  manner  ? 
Have  we  not,  first,  a  real  necessity  for  expounding  the  passage 
figuratively  ?     And  have  we  not,  also,  many  scriptural  prece- 
dents for  doing  so  ? 

3.  And,  furthermore,  the  Lord  has  distinctly  said,  "  i  ysvsa, 
auoj,"  "  This  generation  shall  not  pass,  till  all  these  things  be 
fulfilled.     And  as  this  declaration  was  made  after  speaking 
of  the  things  now  under  notice,  how  can  we  avoid  coming  to 
the  conclusion,  that  all  these  signs  in  the  heavens  and  in  the 
earth  were  only  metaphorical  representations  of  things  that 
transpired  within  the  period  which  that  generation  of  men 
then  living  survived? 

4.  And,  still  further,  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  is  de- 
scribed as  an  event  subsequent  to  the  darkening  of  the  heav- 
enly luminaries ;  and  yet  the  Lord  declared,  "  There  be  some 
standing  here  which  shall  not  taste  death,  till  they  have  seen 
the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom."     Now,  if  his  com- 
ing was  to  follow  the  signs  in  the  heaven,  and  yet  was  to 
transpire  before  all  of  these  men  died,  how  can  it  be  shown  that 
the  event  is  still  future  ?    Why  not  suppose  it  was  a  figura- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  197 

tive  description  of  things  that  happened  during  that  very  age 
in  which  his  hearers  lived  ? 

It  will  undoubtedly  be  admitted  by  those  who  have  investi- 
gated the  subject,  that  these  are  the  principal  arguments 
which  are  usually  urged  in  favor  of  the  figurative  interpreta- 
tion of  this  passage  ;  and  that  they  are  here  presented  in  a 
form  as  advantageous  as  the  circumstances  render  practicable. 
It  has  certainly  been  the  intention,  not  only  here,  but  through- 
out the  Treatise,  to  represent  everything  in  a  fair  and  candid 
manner.  The  real  desire  of  the  writer  is  to  master  the  sub- 
ject ;  to  grapple  with  its  most  formidable  difficulties,  and 
either  be  defeated  by  what  is  so  insuperable  as  to  take  away 
the  shame  of  defeat,  or  to  overcome  what  is  really  worthy  of 
the  conquest. 

If  the  arguments  advanced  on  the  side  of  the  figurative 
theory  can  be  fairly  met  and  overcome,  then  the  way  will  be 
clear  for  the  full  strength  of  the  argument  on  the  other  side. 
We  shall  now  address  ourselves  to  this  undertaking. 

III.  The  first  of  the  arguments  on  the  side  of  the  figurative 
theory  is  derived  from  the  declaration,  that  these  signs  in  the 
heaven  should  take  place  (ECdg'ws  6s  pera.  TW  6\Qw  T£V  -^spflv 
Jxsjvuv,)  "  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days" 
Now,  with  the  exception  that  the  particle  5s  (but)  is  not  trans- 
lated, it  is  admitted  that  the  usual  rendering  of  the  sentence 
is  perfectly  correct  and  literal.  The  word  rendered  "  imme- 
diately" means  immediately.  It  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose, 
however,  that,  in  applying  it,  something  should  be  allowed  for 
the  greatness  and  unusualness  of  the  events.  When  the  hand 
of  a  clock  is  within  five  minutes  of  striking,  we  may  say  that 
the  clock  will  strike  immediately  ;  but  we  could  not  appro- 
priately say  so,  if  it  lacked  half  an  hour  of  striking.  But  we 
might  just  as  properly  say  of  a  youth,  that  he  will  immedi- 
ately become  a  man,  or  soon  become  of  age,  though  it  might 
lack  a  month,  or  a  year. 

The  greatness  and  uncommonness  of  an  event  has  some  in- 
fluence upon  the  adverb.  The  great  event  under  considera- 
tion will  transpire  soon  after  the  other ;  but  the  immediate- 
ness  of  its  transpiration  is  to  be  estimated  with  some  regard 


198  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

to  its  greatness  and  uncommonness  ;  we  are  not  obliged  to 
suppose  it  will  be  as  immediately  as  the  sound  of  tliunder  is 
heard  after  the  sight  of  the  flash.  It  will  be  the  next  great 
event  after  the  former ;  and  it  will  not  be  long  after  the  for- 
mer ;  it  will  presently  occur ;  as  quickly  as  one  great  event 
may  be  said  to  follow  another  without  synchronising  with  it. 

(2.)  But  what  are  we  to  understand  by  "  the  tribulation  of 
those  days?"  Certainly,  those  of  which  the  Lord  had  just 
been  speaking.  This  we  are  obliged  to  admit,  for  the  pro- 
noun "  those "  must  refer  to  something  already  mentioned. 
Whitby,  who  is  the  most  critical  on  this  subject ;  refers  the 
time  to  a  period  preceding  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  His 
comment  on  the  verse  under  notice,  opens  in  this  way :  "  It 
being  here  foretold  that  this  should  happen  immediately  after 
the  wasting  of  the  Jews  by  Vespasian's  army  flying  quickly 
through  Galilee,  Idumea,  and  Judea  ;  this  cannot  be  taken 
literally,  because  no  such  thing  then  happened  either  to  the 
sun,  moon,  or  stars."  To  this,  it  is  replied,  that  it  does  not 
say  it  should  happen  immediately  after  the  wasting  of  the 
Jews  by  YESP ASIAN'S  army.  That  is  a  mere  assumption  of 
the  learned  divine ;  and  it  is  a  most  singular  and  unsupported 
assumption.  No  one  of  the  commentaries  and  histories  con- 
sulted in  writing  this  Treatise,  contains  the  lea»t  intimation 
that  those  days  of  tribulation  to  which  Christ  referred,  were 
to  be  limited  to  the  very  beginning  of  the  Jewish  tribulations. 
So  far  as  the  authors  in  common  use  among  us  are  concerned, 
Whitby  appears  to  be  alone  in  this  singular  opinion.  The 
truth  is,  our  Lord  has  so  evidently  referred  to  the  horrible 
siege  of  Jerusalem,  as  forming  a  part  of  that  unparalleled 
tribulation,  that  writers  of  all  beliefs  and  all  theories  have 
almost,  if  not  quite,  universally  (with  this  exception)  agreed 
that  the  horrors  of  that  terrible  siege  were  particularly  in  the 
Lord's  view  when  he  referred  to  those  days  of  tribulation. 
To  conclude,  as  Whitby  does,  that  the  tribulation  of  those 
days  refers  to  a  period  anterior  to  the  final  siege,  necessarily 
leads  to  several  absurdities : 

First.  That  the  notable  siege,  which  consummated  both 
the  distress  and  the  ruin  of  the  church  and  nation,  was  en- 


HAEMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  199 

tirely  omitted  in  our  Lord's  most  minute  and  wonderfully 
comprehensive  predictions. 

Secondly.  If,  as  Whitby  supposes,  the  siege  and  final  deso- 
lation are  intended  by  the  very  passage  now  under  review, 
then  we  must  suppose  that  our  Lord  gave  a  very  plain  and 
literal  account  of  the  commencement  and  progress  of  the  war 
through  Galilee,  Idumea,  and  Judea,  where  there  is  not  one 
word  of  proper  figurative  language,  but  as  soon  as  he  came  to 
speak  of  the  finishing  up  of  the  war,  he  then  suddenly  broke 
forth  into  the  most  highly  figurative  language  that  can  be  found 
in  all  the  confessedly  poetic  departments  of  the  Bible  !  This  is, 
indeed,  possible ;  but  the  good  sense  of  the  innumerable  con- 
flicting writers  on  this  part  of  the  Scriptures,  has  usually  kept 
them  from  conceiving  or  embracing  such  an  opinion. 

Thirdly.  This  second  conclusion  could  not  be  entertained, 
without  supposing  that  the  siege  and  consummation  of  the 
war  were  so  much  more  conspicuous  and  calamitous  than  the 
previous  desolations,  as  to  justify  the  abrupt  transition  from 
simple  prose  to  the  most  highly  wrought  and  imaginative  poe- 
try. But  this  would  be  expressly  at  variance  with  our  Lord's 
declaration,  — "  For  then  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such  as 
was  not  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  no,  nor 
ever  shall  be,"  —  for  the  form  of  the  theory  now  under  re- 
view, necessarily  supposes  this  declaration  to  refer  to  distresses 
previous  to  the  final  siege.  Now,  to  suppose  that  the  distress 
in  the  first  stages  of  the  war  were  greater  than  the  distress  of 
that  unparalleled  siege,  is  almost  inexcusable  in  one  who 
has  examined  the  subject.  And  to  suppose  that  the  distress 
of  that  war,  previous  to  the  final  siege,  was  greater  than  had 
ever  occurred  in  all  the  wars  since  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
is  supposing  what  no  historic  evidence  is  sufficient  to  sustain. 
Read  the  Lamentations  of  Jeremiah,  and  other  references  to 
the  previous  suffering  of  the  Jews,  and  see  if  you  can  be  sat- 
isfied that  they  suffered  more  under  Vespasian  than  they  did 
previously  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  or  afterwards  by  Titus. 

Fourthly.  Can  we  be  justified  in  concluding,  that  there  was 
less  distress  during  that  stage  of  the  war  which  was  so  much 
more  calamitous  and  fatal  than  the  previous,  as  to  have  blot- 


200  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

ted  out  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  of  the  Jewish  government, 
church,  and  eminent  people  ?  Yet,  according  to  Whitby,  we 
must  suppose  that  the  distress  that  occasioned  this  consum- 
mation of  ruin  was  less  than  that  which  affected  them  during 
the  earlier  periods  of  the  war.  If  a  siege  that  resulted  in  the 
death  of  eleven  hundred  thousand  people  in  six  months,  was 
attended  with  less  tribulation  than  a  war  of  conquest  that  re- 
sulted in  the  death  of  only  about  three  hundred  thousand  du- 
ring three  or  four  years,  then  we  must  begin  to  calculate  the 
calamities  of  war  by  some  other  rule  than  the  one  in  general 
use. 

Fifthly.  Whitby  contradicts  and  overthrows  his  own  argu- 
ments in  the  premises,  when  he  considered  the  subject  with 
reference  to  other  things  than  this  strange  theory  which  he 
had  endeavored  to  maintain.  For  instance  —  in  justification 
of  his  conclusion,  that  the  text  under  notice  is  merely  a  met- 
aphorical description  of  the  downfall  of  the  Jewish  govern- 
ment and  church,  he  refers  to  those  poetical  predictions  of 
the  Old  Testament  which  speak,  as  he  says,  of  "  an  utter  des- 
olation, and  terrible  destruction  brought  upon  a  NATION,  and 
upon  their  CAPITAL  CITIES,  compared  to  the  SUN  and  MOON." 
And,  quoting  Maimonides,  in  relation  to  the  use  of  such  met- 
aphors, he  says,  — it  "  is  a  proverbial  expression,  importing  the 
destruction  and  utter  ruin  of  a  nation." 

Now,  we  ought  to  suppose,  as  Whitby  himself  labors  to  show, 
that  this  utter  ruin  of  the  nation  took  place  when  their  capi- 
tal and  temple  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  conqueror,  and  what 
was  left  of  the  nation  was  utterly  dispersed.  But,  distrust- 
ing, as  it  would  seem,  his  own  reasoning  in  support  of  his  first 
theory,  he  immediately  presents,  and  appears  to  adopt,  anoth- 
er theory,  so  totally  antagonistical  to  the  former,  that  what 
was  before  quoted  to  prove  that  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  (as 
he  understood  the  text,)  were  blotted  out  at  the  time  of  the 
final  siege  and  consummation  of  the  ruin, — were,  in  fact,  blot- 
ted out  previously  to  the  siege  of  the  capital! 

"Another  exposition  of  these  words,"  he  says,  "  is  this  : 
That  then  there  shall  be  a  destruction  of  their  ECCLESIASTICAL 
AND  CIVIL  STATE,  and  of  the  rulers  of  them  loth;  according 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  201 

to  the  words  of  Maimonides,  [whom  he  had  just  quoted  to 
sustain  the  other  theory  !]  This  metaphor  imports,  that  men 
who,  for  their  state  and  dignity,  might  be  compared  to  the 
sun,  moon,  and  stars,  shall  suddenly  fall  down  as  a  leaf  from 
the  vine  and  from  the  fig-tree."  And  "Whitby  then  adds,  — 
"And  this  happened  a  considerable  time  BEFORE  the  dstruction 
of  Jerusalem,  when  the  thieves  and  zealots,  saith  Josephus, 
4  Kept  all  the  nobles,  and  rulers  of  the  country,  in  close  cus- 
tody ;  and  when  the  zealots  slew  and  consumed  the  nobility, 
and  made  it  their  business  to  leave  none  of  the  men  of  power 
alive."  Other  quotations  follow  of  the  same  general  import. 
Then  the  commentator  gives  his  own  conclusion,  "  That  this 
was  to  happen  before  i  the  great  and  notable  day  of  the  Lord? 
or  at  that  time,  we  learn  from  the  prophet  Joel,  saying,  that 
<  then  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,'  &c.  This  cannot  be  refer- 
red to  any  time  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem." 

There  are  some  remarkable  things  here  to  be  observed. 
The  first  theory  supposes  that  "  the  great  day  of  the  Lord" 
was  that  identical  time  when  the  Jewish  nation  met  with  its 
utter  desolation  at  the  siege  and  destruction  of  their  capital. 
And  the  prophecy  of  Joel  was  brought  to  sustain  that  posi- 
tion. The  second  theory  supposes  that  the  day  alluded  to  by 
Joel,  when  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  should  be  darkened,  was 
"  a  considerable  time  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem." 
And  the  prophecy  of  Joel  was  made  to  sustain  that  position, 
also.  Now,  as  both  of  these  theories  are  favored  by  the  same 
author,  and  one  must  be  erroneous,  if  the  other  is  true,  since 
they  depend  upon  a  different  application  of  prophecy,  and 
upon  a  different  understanding  of  the  facts  in  the  case,  differ- 
ing essentially  in  relation  to  not  only  the  time,  but  the  nature 
of  the  darkening  of  the  luminaries ;  —  and  as  the  author  has 
not  informed  us  which  one  is  the  true  one  ;  it  will  be  safe  to 
leave  one  theory  to  combat  the  other. 

But  why  did  such  a  writer  as  Whitby  labor  to  sustain  either 
of  these  conflicting  theories  ?  It  was  not  from  the  natural 
teaching  of  the  passage  in  its  connections :  it  was  from  the 
logical  foresight  of  an  insuperable  difficulty  which  must  fa- 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION. 

tally  embarrass  the  theory  that  teaches  that  the  tribulation  of 
those  days  meant  the  afflictions  of  that  horrible  siege. 

Whitby  was  logician  enough  to  perceive  that  previously,  or 
during  that  siege,  the  so  called  sun,  moon,  and  stars  of  the  na- 
tion perished  ;  and  he  could  not  bring  himself  to  the  task  of 
showing  that  it  was  afterwards.  Hence,  these  most  embar- 
rassed, contradictory,  and  unsatisfactory  efforts  to  fix  "  the 
tribulation  of  those  days,"  at  an  earlier  period  of  the  war. 

It  is  an  inconvenient  thing  to  have  a  troublesome  theory. 
We  have  a  fine  specimen  of  this  in  his  comment  on  the  next 
verse,  which  relates  to  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man. 

Now  any  one  can,  and  must,  perceive  that  this  coming  of 
the  Lord  was  subsequent  to  the  "  tribulation  of  those  days." 
And  as  the  learned  divine  does  not  understand  it  literally,  he 
must,  of  course,  understand  it  metaphorically.  So  he  applies 
it  to  the  coming  of  the  Komans  to  conquer  and  destroy  the 
Jews ;  and,  as  usual,  refers  to  the  Old  Testament  figurative 
descriptions  of  the  invasion  and  ravages  of  a  conquering  ar- 
my. Now,  in  the  first  of  these  theories,  when  he  justified  this 
use  of  such  passages  of  Scripture,  he  was  careful  to  apply 
them  to  the  earlier  stages  of  the  war.  "  The  tribulation  of 
those  days"  were  accomplished  during  the  war  under  YESPA- 
BIAN  !  And,  in  the  latter  theory,  the  darkening  of  the  lumi- 
naries took  place  "  a  considerable  time  before  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem" 

But  now,  in  verse  30,  we  have  not  a  personal,  but  a  judi- 
cial, coming  of  the  Lord  "  by  the  Roman  army,"  to  punish 
the  wicked  Jews.  When  does  the  commentator  fix  upon  the 
time  of  this  judicial  coming  "by  the  Roman  Army"  ?  Does 
he  now  speak  of  the  "  invasion"  of  the  country  ?  No.  Does 
he  now  speak  of  that  time  of  tribulation  in  "  the  wasting  of 
the  Jews  by  Vespasian's  army  quickly  flying  through  Galilee, 
Idumea,  and  Judea"?  No.  Does  he  now  speak  of  that  peri- 
od "  a  considerable  time  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem," 
when,  according  to  his  own  showing,  their  "  ecclesiastical  and 
civil  state,  and  the  rulers  of  them  loth"  were  destroyed  ?  No. 
When,  then,  according  to  this  commentator,  did  the  Lord 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  203 

come  "by  the  Koman  army,"  to  judge  and  punish  that 
people  ? 

His  own  words  are,  "  Our  Saviour's  coming  here  seems, 
therefore,  to  import  his  coming  by  the  Roman  army  to  BE- 
SIEGE AND  TO  DESTROY  JERUSALEM,  and  the  unbelieving  Jews  / 
for  so  Christ  seemeth  plainly  to  interpret  this  t  coming  of  the 
Son  of  man,'  verse  27.  *  The  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  shall 
be  as  the  lightning  shining  from  the  east  to  the  west ;  for, 
wheresoever  the  Jews  are,  thither  shall  the  Roman  army  be 
gathered"  !  Indeed !  Then  this  judicial  coming  by  the  Ro- 
man army,  was  not  the  "  coming"  of  the  Romans  when  they 
made  the  invasion ;  it  was  not  that  visitation  that  brought 
about  the  "  tribulation  of  those  days,"  which  was  under  Ves- 
pasian j  neither  was  it  the  destruction  of  their  "  ecclesiasti- 
cal and  civil  state,  and  the  rulers  of  them  both,"  which  took 
place  "  a  considerable  time  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem," when  their  sun,  moon,  and  stars  were  blotted  out,  and 
the  government  and  rulers  were  utterly  destroyed  ;  —  No ; — 
in  this  case  the  judicial  coming  was  "  to  besiege  and  destroy 
JERUSALEM  AND  THE  UNBELIEVING  JEWS"  !  That  is,  after  the 
nation  had  been  destroyed,  as  he  understood  it ;  after  their 
sun,  moon,  and  stars  were  blotted  out;  then  the  Lord  came, 
by  the  Romans !  to  judge  and  to  punish  them  ! 

"When  such  profound,  logical,  and  laborious  divines  as 
Whitby  are  driven  to  such  wretched,  self-destructive  reason- 
ings, it  is  time  to  suspect  that  their  theories  are  wrong.  What 
reliance  can  we  place  upon  Scripture,  if  it  may  thus  be  made 
to  teach  any  and  every  thing,  just  as  men  may  choose  to  make 
it  ?  The  theories  are  wrong :  that  is  the  difficulty.  It  should 
be  observed,  in  passing,  that  in  Whitby's  Appendixes  there  is 
a  lengthy  and  very  labored  defence  of  his  theory  against  Gro- 
tius  and  Whiston.  Much  of  it  is  irrelevant  to  the  purpose  of 
this  Treatise  ;  but  so  much  of  it  as  really  comes  in  the  way 
of  the  exposition  attempted  in  this  work,  has  been  already 
answered  in  the  former  portions  of  this  work,  or  will  be 
answered  in  the  comment  upon  verses  yet  to  come  un- 
der notice.  His  argument  in  that  part  of  his  work, 

however,  it  will  not  be  appropriate  to  review  formally,  as 

rr    r  J  > 


204:  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

has  been  done  with  his   comment  on  the  passage  now  be- 
fore us. 

Having  thus  disposed  of  Whitby's  theory  of  placing  "  the 
tribulation  of  those  days  "  at  a  comparatively  early  period  of 
the  war,  before  Jerusalem  was  besieged,  we  now  pass  to  notice 
another  form  of  the  figurative  theory,  which  teaches  that  the 
tribulation  of  those  days  refers  especially  to  the  horrors  of  the 
Jmal  and  fatal  seige  of  the  capital  city. 

This  branch  of  the  figurative  theory  may  be  called,  for  dis- 
tinction's sake,  the  Newtonian  theory,  inasmuch  as  it  appears 
conspicuously  in  Newton's  Dissertation  on  the  Prophecies,  and 
from  thence  is  copied  substantially  —  without  credit,  how- 
ever,—  into  several  of  our  standard  commentaries.  Newton's 
language  is,  (referring  to  the  verse  under  notice,)  "  Commen- 
tators generally  understand  this  and  what  follows,  of  the  end 
of  the  world,  and  of  Christ's  coming  to  judgment :  but  the 
words,  '  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days,'  show 
evidently  that  he  is  not  speaking  of  any  distant  event,  but  of 
something  immediately  consequent  upon  the  tribulation  be- 
fore mentioned,  and  that  must  be  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem" 
This  is  quoted  and  adopted  by  Dr.  Coke,  and  also  by  Dr. 
Clarke.  Dr.  Scott  also  takes  the  same  view,  as  may  be  seen  from 
his  words,  "  The  clause,  '  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of 
those  days,'  restricts  the  primary  sense  of  these  verses  to  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  events  consequent  to  it." 
Burkit's  view  is  the  same :  referring  to  the  verse  before  us,  he 
says,  "  Our  Lord  goes  on  in  figurative  expressions  to  set  forth 
the  calamities  that  should  befall  the  Jewish  nation,  immedi- 
ately after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem"  "Watson  takes  the 
same  view,  as  may  be  seen  by  his  note  on  the  previous  verse. 
Barnes  takes  the  same  view  ;  and  how  many  others  adopt  it, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  mention :  it  is  the  popular  understand- 
ing of  the  passage. 

This  branch  of  the  theory,  then,  thus  far,  presents  just  two 
points  ;  1.  That  "  the  tribulation  of  those  days  "  refers  par- 
ticularly to  the  siege  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem ;  2.  That 
immediately  after  this  would  occur  the  darkening  of  the 
heavenly  luminaries,  which  is  understood  to  apply  to  the 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  205 

Jewish  state  and  church.  The  application  is  thus  stated,  in 
the  language  of  Lightfoot :  "  The  Jewish  heaven  shall  perish, 
and  the  sun  and  moon  of  its  glory  and  happiness  shall  be 
darkened  —  brought  to  nothing.  The  sun  is  the  religion  of 
the  church  /  the  moon  is  the  government  of  the  state  /  and 
the  stars  are  the  judges  and  doctors  of  both."  This  states 
specifically  the  usual  method  of  applying  the  passage. 

Now,  in  relation  to  this  matter,  it  should  be  observed,  (1.) 
That  it  is  not  to  be  decided  by  opinions,  but  by  facts.  It  is 
not  a  doctrine,  or  an  opinion  that  is  to  be  tested,  but  a  plain 
matter  of  fact ;  and  to  facts  the  appeal  should  be  made.  The 
witness  shall  be  the  Jewish  historian,  whose  testimony  in  the 
case  cannot  be  impeached. 

(2.)  "We  learn  from  Josephus,  that  even  previously  to  the 
siege,  both  the  church  and  government  were  in  a  state  of  ab- 
solute anarchy ;  and  that  the  officers  and  priests  were  deposed 
and  destroyed  ;  so  that  all  law,  and  all  official  authority,  were 
absolutely  overthrown. 

Josephus  says,  (De  Bell.  Jud.,  lib.  4,  cap.  11,)  the  thieves 
and  zealots  "  kept  all  the  nobles,  and  rulers  of  the  country,  in 
close  custody.  And  (Lib,  5.  cap.  20,)  the  zealots  "  slew  and 
consumed  the  nobility,  and  made  it  their  business  to  leave  none 
of  the  men  of  power  alive" 

He  tells  us  (Lib.  4,  cap.  19,)  that  "  twelve  thousand  of 
the  nobility  perished  after  this  manner  ;  when  the  high  priests, 
and  among  them  Ananus,  were  destroyed  by  the  Idumeans, 
which  Josephus  reckons  "  the  beginning  of  their  captivity" 
He  tells  us  (Lib.  4,  cap.  11,  12,)  that  they  "  abolished  the  fam- 
ilies of  the  high  priests  by  succession,  and  placed  in  their 
room  men  ignoble  and  unknown,  who  neither  belonged  to  the 
priesthood,  nor  knew  what  the  office  of  high-spriest  meant." 
These  quotations  are  taken  from  Whitby's  Commentary.  All 
this,  it  should  be  remembered,  was  before  the  siege  of  Jeru- 
salem by  the  Romans. 

If  the  reader  wishes  to  see  the  proofs  of  the  absolute  ruin 
of  the  government  and  church  of  the  Jews  at  this  time,  he  is 
desired  to  examine  Jewish  War,  B.  4,  c.  3,  and  others.  The 
priesthood  of  the  church  was  overthrown,  and  the  whole  mat- 


£06  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION- 

ter  managed  by  a  diabolical  combination  of  murderers  and 
thieves.  They  seized  upon  the  temple,  defiled  it,  turned  it  in- 
to a  fortress,  and  the  robbers  who  had  the  temple  in  possession, 
occupied  even  the  inner  court.  The  robbers  who  had  obtained 
possession  of  the  temple  sent  to  the  Idumeans  for  assistance  ; 
and  the  Idumeans  came  in  great  numbers,  obtained  entrance 
into  the  city,  joined  themselves  to  the  robbers  in  the  temple, 
and  then  went  about  slaughtering  in  every  part  of  the  city. 
They  not  only  butchered  many  thousands  of  the  common 
people,  but  also  the  high-priest,  and  the  common  priests,  who 
were  cast  out  naked  to  be  food  for  dogs.  The  robbers  and 
Idumeans  continued  their  slaughter  of  the  common  people, 
and  their  imprisonment  and  destruction  of  the  nobles,  until, 
as  Josephus  says,  they  "were  quite  weary  of  barely  killing 
men,  so  they  had  the  impudence  of  setting  up  fictitious  tribu- 
nals and  judicatures  for  that  purpose."  As  these  unauthor- 
ized judges  did  not  see  fit  to  do  just  as  their  masters,  the 
robbers  and  Idumeans  wished  them,  "they  struck  the  judges 
with  the  backs  of  their  swords,  by  way  of  abuse,  and  thrust 
them  out  of  the  court  of  the  temple;  and  spared  their  lives 
with  no  other  design  than  that,  when  they  were  dispersed 
among  the  people  in  the  city,  they  might  become  their  mes- 
sengers, to  let  them  know  they  were  no  better  than  slaves." 

The  unconquered  portion  of  the  nation  were  now  generally 
assembled  and  kept  at  Jerusalem ;  not  because  the  city  was 
besieged  by  the  Komans,  but  because  the  people  had  fled  to 
the  capital  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  which  was  now 
everywhere  ravaged  by  the  Romans. 

Of  the  state  of  the  government  and  the  church,  there  is 
abundance  of  evidence  to  show  that  all  government  and  ec- 
clesiastical authority  were  overthrown.  In  the  conclusion  of 
the  seventh  chap,  of  B.  4.,  Josephus  gives  a  kind  of  summing 
up  of  the  anarchy  that  prevailed. 

"To  say  all  in  a  word,  no  other  gentle  passion  was  so  entire- 
ly lost  among  them  [the  robbers  who  ruled  the  city]  as  mercy ; 
for  what  were  the  greatest  objects  of  pity  did  most  of  all 
irritate  these  wretches  ;  and  they  transferred  their  rage  from 
the  living  to  those  that  had  been  slain,  and  from  the  dead  to 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  207 

the  living.  Nay,  the  terror  was  so  very  great,  that  he  who 
survived  called  them  that  were  first  dead  happy,  as  being  at 
rest  already ;  as  did  those  that  were  under  torture  in  the 
prisons  declare,  that,  upon  this  comparison,  those  that  lay 
unburied  were  the  happiest.  These  men,  therefore,  trampled 
upon  all  the  laws  of  .men,  and  laughed  at  the  laws  of  God  / 
and  for  the  oracles  of  the  prophets,  they  ridiculed  them  as  the 
trick  of  jugglers ,"  &c.  "The  zealots  came  at  last  to  that  de- 
gree of  barbarity,  as  not  to  bestow  a  burial  either  on  those 
slain  in  the  city,  or  on  those  that  lay  along  the  roads ;  but  as 
if  they  had  made  an  agreement  to  cancel  both  the  laws  of 
their  country  and  the  laws  of  nature,  and  at  the  same  time 
that  they  defiled  men  with  their  wicked  actions,  they  would 
pollute  the  Divinity  also,  they  left  the  dead  bodies  to  putri- 
fy  under  the  sun." 

Never  was  a  city  or  nation  reduced  to  more  complete  and 
horrid  anarchy.  "  The  zealots  grew  more  insolent,"  after  the 
retirement  of  the  Idumeans,  who  had  hitherto,  in  some  meas- 
ure restrained  them,  "  not  as  deserted  by  their  confederates, 
but  as  freed  from  such  men  as  might  hinder  their  designs,  and 
put  some  stop  to  their  wickedness.  Accordingly,  they  made 
no  longer  any  delay,  nor  took  any  deliberation  in  their  enor- 
mous practices,  but  made  use  of  the  shortest  method  for  all 
their  executions  ;  and  what  they  had  once  resolved  upon  they 
put  in  practice  sooner  than  any  one  could  imagine.  But  their 
thirst  was  chiefly  after  the  blood  of  valiant  men,  and  men  of 
good  families  ;  the  one  sort  of  which  they  destroyed  out  of 
envy,  the  other  out  of  fear ;  for  they  thought  their  whole 
security  lay  in  leaving  no  potent  man  alive."  "  And,  indeed, 
there  was  no  part  of  the  people  but  they  found  out  some  pre- 
tence to  destroy  them ;  for  some  were,  therefore,  slain,  because 
they  had  differences  with  them ;  and  as  to  those  who  had  not 
opposed  them  in  times  of  peace,  they  watched  seasonable 
opportunities  to  gain  some  accusation  against  them ;  and  if  any 
one  did  not  come  near  them  at  all,  he  was  under  their  suspicion 
as  a  proud  man ;  if  any  one  came  with  boldness,  he  was 
esteemed  a  contemner  of  them ;  and  if  any  one  came  aa 
aiming  to  oblige  them,  he  was  supposed  to  have  some  treach- 


208  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

erous  plot  against  them ;  while  the  only  punishment  of 
crimes,  whether  they  were  of  the  greatest  or  smallest  sort,  was 
death.  Nor  could  any  one  escape  unless  he  were  very  incon- 
siderable, either  on  account  of  the  meanness  of  his  birth,  and 
on  account  of  his  fortune."  B.  4,  c.  6. 

At  this  stage  of  the  Jewish  anarchy,  when  nothing  but 
death  awaited  the  rulers,  priests,  and  nobles,  and  all  who 
could  be  suspected  of  being  opposed  to  the  robbers  and  mur- 
derers who  ruled  the  city,  and  made  the  temple,  even  the 
inner  courts,  their  fortress ;  —  at  this  time,  the  virtuous  and 
eminent  Jews  who  had  not  already  fled  from  the  city  as  from 
a  sinking  vessel,  used  every  endeavor  to  escape  from  terrible 
sedition  and  anarchy  within  the  capital.  And  now  the  bloody, 
seditious  combination  became  divided  into  two  rival  parties, 
the  leader  of  each  striving  for  the  supreme  dominion,  and 
fighting  against  one  another,  and  against  the  common  people. 
"  And  because  the  city  had  to  struggle  with  three  of  the 
greatest  misfortunes,  war,  and  tyranny,  and  sedition,  it  ap- 
peared upon  the  comparison  that  the  war  was  the  least 
troublesome  to  the  populace  of  them  all." 

All  this,  it  should  be  remembered,  took  place  while  Vespa- 
sian was  in  Judea ;  and  it  was  not  far  from  two  years  before 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Nor  was  this  terrible  anarchy 
confined  to  the  capital; — there  was  a  regular  combination 
of  ruffians,  called  Sicarii,  out  of  Jerusalem,  as  well  as  within 
it.  They  seized  upon  the  fortress  of  Masada,  dispersing  and 
killing  all  the  men,  women,  and  children  within  the  place, 
and  commenced  a  systematic  career  of  murder,  desolation, 
and  plunder.  "  And,  indeed,  these  men  laid  all  the  villages 
that  were  about  the  fortress  waste,  and  made  the  whole 
country  desolate ;  while  there  came  to  them  every  day  from 
all  parts  not  a  few  men,  as  corrupt  as  themselves.  At  that 
time  all  the  other  regions  of  Judea,  that  had  hitherto  been 
at  rest,  were  in  motion,  by  means  of  the  robbers.  Now  as 
it  is  in  the  human  body,  if  the  principal  part  be  inflamed,  all 
the  members  are  subject  to  the  same  distemper,  so  by  means 
of  the  sedition  and  disorder  that  was  in  the  metropolis,  had 
the  wicked  men  that  were  in  the  country  opportunity  to 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  209 

ravage  the  same.  Accordingly,  when  every  one  of  them  had 
plundered  their  own  villages,  they  then  retired  into  the  des- 
ert ;  yet  were  there  men  that  now  got  together,  and  joined  in 
the  conspiracy  by  parties,  too  small  for  an  army,  and  too 
many  for  a  gang  of  thieves ;  and  thus  did  they  fall  upon  th& 
HOLY  PLACES  [the  proseuche,  or  houses  of  prayer}  and  the 
cities ;  yet  did  it  now  so  happen  that  they  were  sometimes 
very  ill  treated  by  those  upon  whom  they  fell  with  such  vio- 
lence, and  were  taken  by  them  as  men  are  taken  in  war ;  but 
still  they  prevented  any  further  punishment,  as  do  robbers, 
who,  as  soon  as  their  ravages  are  discovered,  run  their  way. 
Nor  was  there  now  any  part  of  Judea  that  was  not  in  a  mis- 
erable condition,  as  well  as  its  most  eminent  city  also."  B. 
4,  c.  7. 

At  this  time  some  who  succeeded  in  escaping  from  the 
metropolis,  fled  to  Yespasian  to  persuade  the  Roman  general 
"  to  come  to  the  city's  assistance,  AND  SAVE  THE  REMAINDER  OF 

THE  PEOPLE." 

Soon  after  this,  another  eminent  robber,  by  the  name  of 
Simon,  joined  the  two  rival  gangs  in  Jerusalem,  and,  in  con- 
cert with  them,  "  went  out  and  ravaged  and  destroyed  the 
country  with  them."  He  soon  left  the  metropolis,  and  fixed 
his  head  quarters  "  in  the  mountainous  parts  of  the  country." 
"  And  as  he  had  now  a  strong  body  of  men  about  him,  he 
overran  the  villages  that  lay  in  the  mountainous  country  ;  and 
when  there  were  still  more  and  more  that  came  to  him,  he 
ventured  to  go  down  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  country ;  and 
since  he  was  now  become  formidable  to  the  cities,  many  of 
the  men  of  power  were  corrupted  by  him  ;  so  that  his  army 
was  no  longer  composed  of  slaves  and  robbers,  but  a  great 
many  of  the  populace  were  obedient  to  him  as  to  their  king." 

Now  occurred  most  horrible  conflicts  between  the  different 
gangs,  or  armies,  rather,  of  the  robbers.  The  two  parties  in 
Jerusalem  united  against  the  party  under  Simon,  and  came 
to  a  regular  battle.  Simon  got  the  better  of  the  Jerusalem 
robbers,  and  drove  them  back  into  the  city.  Then,  having 
an  army  of  twenty  thousand  men  under  him,  he  made  an 
attack  upon  Idumea,  and  fought  with  them  a  whole  day. 
14 


210  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION, 

Not  succeeding  in  his  undertaking  at  this  time,  he  withdrew 
for  a  while,  and  then  came  up  against  them  again.  Meeting 
with  some  reverse  at  this  time  also,  he  renewed  his  attack  the 
third  time,  and  succeeded  in  getting  possession  of  Hebron, 
and  plundering  it.  "  Hence  did  Simon  make  his  progress  all 
pver  Idumea,  [the  southern  part  of  Judea]  and  did  not  only 
ravage  the  cities  and  villages,  but  laid  waste  the  whole  coun- 
try ;  for,  besides  those  that  were  completely  armed,  he  had 
forty  thousand  men  that  followed  him,  insomuch  that  he  had 
not  provisions  enough  to  suffice  such  a  multitude.  Now, 
besides  this  great  want  of  provisions,  he  was  of  a  barbarous 
disposition,  and  bore  great  anger  at  this  nation,  by  which 
means  it  came  to  pass  that  Idumea  was  greatly  depopulated  ; 
and  as  one  may  see  all  the  woods  behind  despoiled  of  their 
Reaves  by  locusts,  after  they  have  been  there,  so  there  was 
nothing  left  behind  Simon's  army  but  a  desert.  Some  places 
they  burnt  down?  some  they  utterly  demolished ;  and  what- 
soever grew  in  the  country  they  either  trod  it  down  or  fed 
upon  it  5  and  by  their  marches  they  made  the  ground  that 
was  cultivated  harder  and  more  untractable  than  that  which 
was  barren.  In  short,  there  was  no  sign  remaining  of 
those  places  that  had  been  laid  waste  that  ever  they  had  a 
being." 

After  a  season,  during  which  Simon  came  into  collision  with 
the  robbers  at  Jerusalem,  and  practiced  great  cruelties  there, 
"  he  returned  back  to  the  remainders  of  Idumea  ;  and  driving 
the  nation  all  before  him  from  all  quarters,  he  compelled  a 
great  number  of  them  to  retire  into  Jerusalem ;  he  followed 
them  also  himself  to  the  city,  and  encompassed  the  wall  all 
around  again  ;  and  when  he  lighted  upon  any  laborers  that 
were  coming  thither  out  of  the  country,  he  slew  them.  Now 
this  Simon,  who  was  without  the  wall,  was  a  greater  terror  to 
the  people  than  the  Romans  themselves,  as  were  the  zealots 
who  were  within  it  more  heavy  upon  them  than  both  of  the 
other."  John,  the  principal  man  of  the  robbers  in  the  city, 
became  "  very  potent"  by  means  of  the  gang  that  sustained 
him,  and  he  "  made  them  a  suitable  requital  from  the  au- 
thority he  had  obtained  by  their  names ;  for  he  permitted 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  211 

them  to  do  all  things  that  any  of  them  desired  to  do,  while 
their  inclination  to  plunder  was  insatiable,  as  was  their  zeal 
for  searching  the  houses  of  the  rich ;  and  for  the  murdering 
of  the  men  and  the  abusing  of  the  women,  it  was  sport  to 
them.  They  also  devoured  what  spoils  they  had  taken,  togeth- 
er with  their  blood,  and  indulged  themselves  in  feminine 
wantonness,  without  any  disturbance,  till  they  were  satiated 
therewith ;  while  they  decked  their  hair,  and  put  on  women's 
garments,  and  were  besmeared  over  with  ointments ;  and, 
that  they  might  appear  very  comely,  they  had  paints  under 
their  eyes,  and  imitated  not  only  the  ornaments,  but  also  the 
lusts  of  women,  and  were  guilty  of  such  intolerable  unclean- 
ness,  that  they  invented  unlawful  pleasures  of  that  sort ;  and 
thus  did  they  roll  themselves  up  and  down  the  city,  as  in  a 
brothel-house,  and  defiled  it  entirely  with  their  impure  ac- 
tions ;  nay,  while  their  faces  looked  like  the  faces  of  women, 
they  killed  with  their  right  hands ;  and  when  their  gait  was 
effeminate,  they  presently  attacked  men  and  became  warriors, 
and  drew  their  swords  from  under  finely  dyed  cloaks,  and  ran 
every  body  through  whom  they  alighted  upon." 

ENOUGH  !  in  all  reason,  enough  !  He  that  wants  any  more 
proof  of  the  complete  overthrow  of  the  ecclesiastical  and 
civil  government  of  the  Jews,  is  not  the  person  for  whom 
this  Treatise  is  intended.  Now,  let  it  be  recollected  that 
these  disorders  and  calamities  were  not  occasioned  by  the 
Romans :  as  yet  they  had  not  approached  Jerusalem,  nor 
the  southern,  nor  eastern  portions  of  Judea.  These  terrible 
commotions  and  slaughterings  were  occasioned  entirely  by 
the  different  parties  among  the  Jews.  Let  it  be  remembered, 
also,  that  all  this  took  place  while  Yespasian  was  in  the 
northern  portions  of  the  country,  and  a  year  and  a  half  or  so 
before  the  destruction  of  the  metropolis. 

Look  now  at  the  condition  of  the  Jewish  nation. 

(1.)  Their  high  priest  and  many  of  his  associates  had  been 
murdered,  and  the  whole  body  of  priesthood  overthrown,  and 
if  there  were  any  religious  services,  it  was  by  such  wretches 
as  the  robbers  saw  fit  to  put  up. 

(2.)  Their  temple  was  changed  into  a  citadel  and  strong 


212  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

hold  for  an  army  of  the  vilest  and  most  abominable  robbers 
and  murderers  that  ever  disgraced  the  human  race. 

(3.)  Their  "  holy  houses,"  or  places  of  prayer  in  the  coun- 
try had  been  pillaged  and  destroyed  by  the  bands  of  ruffians 
called  "  Sicarii"  that  prowled  about  the  country,  butchering, 
pillaging,  and  destroying  wherever  they  went. 

(4.)  Their  judiciary  and  temple  officers  had  either  fled  for 
their  lives  to  the  Romans,  or  had  been  murdered  by  the 
robber  gangs  in  the  city. 

(5.)  Their  nobles  and  men  of  wealth  had  been  murdered  by 
myriads,  or  had  fled  from  the  tyrants  who  permitted  their 
gangs  to  plunder  and  murder  without  restraint. 

(6.)  There  was  no  legal  ruler,  there  was  no  regular  priest, 
there  was  no  proper  judiciary  in  the  capital ;  the  whole  had 
been  overthrown. 

(7.)  The  northern  parts  of  the  country  had  been  conquered 
and  laid  waste  by  the  Romans ;  the  eastern  parts  of  Judea 
had  been  plundered  and  ravaged  by  an  organized  army  of 
robbers  ;  and  the  southern  parts  by  another  army  of  robbers 
of  forty  thousand  strong. 

(8.)  Jerusalem  itself  was  in  the  entire  control  of  different 
bands  of  organized  robbers,  who  were  almost  continually  at 
war  between  themselves,  and  whose  only  agreement  was  to 
murder  and  plunder,  and  commit  lewdness  without  restraint. 

And  thus  it  continued  unto  the  end  ;  there  was  no  restora- 
tion of  judicial,  civil,  or  ecclesiastical  order;  everything  of 
the  kind  was  ruined,  totally  ruined,  ruined  without  remedy. 
THESE  ARE  THE  FACTS  IN  THE  CASE.  And  yet  our  commenta- 
tors have  trusted  the  interpretation  of  some  of  the  most 
important  parts  of  the  Bible  to  the  theory  whose  principal 
argument  lies  in  the  supposition,  that  the  Jewish  ecclesiasti- 
cal and  civil  government  was  destroyed  "after"  the  dest/i^uc- 
tion  of  Jerusalem! 

What  shall  we  say  to  this  ?  He  that  is  capable  of  appre- 
ciating the  truth  in  the  interpretation  of  this  most  important 
part  of  God's  word,  will  find  himself  incapable  of  saying  any- 
thing, unless  it  be  to  ask  God  to  have  mercy  upon  us  !  It 
must  be  a  dreadful  thing  to  reject  the  literal  teachings  of  the 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  213 

divine  word,  and  adopt  a  theory  of  exposition  totally  desti- 
tute of  foundation.  It  is  time  men  began  generally  to  use 
their  own  eyes  in  searching  the  divine  word,  and  its  various 
sources  of  illustration.  "We  cannot  safely  depend  even  upon 
what  is  almost  universally  adopted.  As  in  the  plausible, 
popular,  but  totally  erroneous  fiction  which  has  been  used  to 
explain  the  reference  to  the  flashing  lightning ;  so  in  relation 
to  the  common  supposition  that  the  Jewish  sun,  moon  and 
stars  (as  they  are  explained)  were  darkened  after  "  the  tribu- 
lation of  those  days,"  —  the  writer  here  distinctly  and  une- 
quivocally affirms,  that  the  whole  matter  is  fictitious,  founda- 
tionless,  and  totally  at  variance  with  the  truth  as  it  is  taught 
in  the  very  history  which  has  been  supposed  to  confirm  it. 
So  far  as  this  declaration  is  concerned,  all  the  favor  the  writer 
asks,  is,  that  those  who  are  startled  or  offended  by  it,  shall 
search  carefully  for  themselves,  and  think  for  themselves,  at 
the  same  time.  The  writer  claims  that  he  has  settled  the 
question  by  undeniable  facts ;  yet  still  the  appeal  to  logic 
may  not  be  inappropriate. 

(1.)  If  by  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  be  meant  the  ecclesias- 
tical and  civil  government  of  the  Jews,  and  the  nobles  and 
eminent  men  of  the  nation ;  and  if  the  darkening  of  the 
luminaries  means  the  overthrow  and  destruction  of  these  insti- 
tutions and  men ;  and  if  this  was  effected  by  the  Romans 
under  Yespasian  and  Titus  ;  then  it  must  follow  that  it  was 
done  either  before,  or  during,  the  tribulation  that  resulted  in 
the  entire  destruction  of  the  government,  church,  capital, 
temple,  and  principal  men. 

(2.)  That  it  occurred  before  that  war  under  these  Roman 
generals,  no  one  can  be  willing  to  aifirm  ;  for  the  very  object 
of  the  war  was  to  reduce  the  nation  to  obedience,  or  to  bring 
it  to  ruin. 

(3.)  That  it  occurred  during  the  war  must  be  evident  from 
this  undeniable  fact,  —  the  war  did  not  cease  until  its  object 
was  effected  /  the  nation  was  in  ruins  before  the  war  was 
endtd.  This  is  not  an  opinion  /  it  is  a  fact.  And  it  is  a  fact,' 
also,  that  the  predicted  tribulation  continued  undiminished  to 
the  last.  If  there  was  any  difference  in  the  intensity  of  that 


214:  HABMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

tribulation,  it  rather  increased  than  diminished  toward  the 
close  of  it.  Now,  how  any  regard  to  logic,  or  to  fact,  will 
permit  any  one  to  say,  that  it  was  "  after  the  tribulation  of 
those  days  "  that  the  eminent  men,  and  the  civil  and  ecclesi- 
astical government  were  overthrown,  is  one  of  those  inexpli- 
cable things  that  remain  yet  to  be  revealed. 

(4.)  Besides,  the  language  of  the  prediction  shows  that  the 
event  in  question  was  not  to  transpire  in  connection  with  that 
tribulation,  but  afterwards.  There  was  to  be  a  distinct  sepa- 
ration between  them  in  the  time  of  tJieir  occurrence.  And  it 
is  unfortunate  for  the  common  translation,  that  one  of  the 
words  which  Christ  used  is  entirely  omitted !  And  it  is  a 
word  of  great  importance  in  making  the  transition,  not  only 
from  one  subject  to  another,  but  from  one  period  to  another. 
"  EM&s  ds  fxsra"  —  are  the  words  with  which  Christ  began  this 
paragraph.  "  BUT  immediately  after,"  &c.  Why  the  particle 
which  makes  the  transition  was  omitted  in  the  translation,  it 
is  not  possible,  perhaps,  to  explain.  In  the  parallel  place 
in  Mark  it  is  retained.  "  'AXX'  Jv  frsivais  rafc  fyt-fyausj  psra  <n?v 
dXi-j/iv  &S/VTIV" — "BuT  in  those  days,  after,"  &c.  Now,  we 
know,  because  it  is  aii  undeniable  historic  fact,  that  the  dark- 
ening of  the  Jewish  sun,  &c.,  was  not  after  those  days  of 
tribulation,  but  during  that  period  of  time. 

(5.)  The  question,  then,  is  settled,  —  historically  and  logi- 
cally settled ;  it  was  during,  and  not  after,  that  time  of 
trouble  that  the  so  called  Jewish  luminaries  were  darkened  ; 
and  this  shows  conclusively  that  Christ  was  not  speaking  of 
THAT  event  in  the  verse  under  notice. 

Some  of  the  divines  who  have  examined  the  subject  per- 
sonally, as  it  would  seem,  have  seen  the  insuperable  objec- 
tions to  the  popular  theory  now  under  review,  and  have  made 
most  unnatural  and  unfortunate  efforts  to  avoid  them.  "We 
have  seen  how  this  was  attempted  by  the  learned  Whitby, 
and  what  was  the  result.  Some  later  divines,  perceiving,  and 
wishing  to  avoid,  the  rocks  on  which  so  many  have  made 
shipwreck  of  all  history  and  logic,  have  steered  as  far  in  the 
other  direction.  For  instance,  Dr.  Robinson,  who  says,  "  That 
the  <  abomination  of  desolation,'  Matt.  xxiv.  15,  &c.,  refers  to 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  215 

the  Roman  armies  by  which  Jerusalem  was  besieged  and  de- 
stroyed, is  shown  conclusively  by  Luke  xxi.  20.  The  subse- 
quent desolation  and  calamity  spoken  of  in  Matt.  xxiv.  29-31, 
and  the  parallel  passages,  /  refer  to  the  overthrow  and  com- 
plete extirpation  of  the  Jewish  people  FIFTY  YEAKS  LATER  under 
Adrian;  when  they  were  sold  as  slaves  an<l  utterly  driven 
out  from  the  land  of  their  fathers  !"  And,  to  complete  the 
matter,  he  understood  our  Lord's  expression,  "  This  generation 
shall  not  pass  until  all  these  things  be  fulfilled,"  as  referring 
to  the  people  then  living!  Yerily,  the  people  must  have 
lived  long  in  those  days  ! 

Now  it  is  incomparably  less  difficult  to  give  this  passage  the 
true  explanation.  But  if  the  reader  should  find  some  diffi- 
culty, let  him  not  forget  what  he  has  found  in  the  efforts  to 
expound  the  text  figuratively. 

2.  Having  shown  the  inconclusiveness  of  the  argument  in 
favor  of  the  figurative  exposition  which  is  founded  on  the  dec- 
laration, '  Immediately  after  the  tribulation,'  &c.  —  we  proceed 
to  notice  the  argument  which  is  founded  on  the  use  and  ap- 
plication of  language  similar  to  that  in  the  verse  under  no- 
tice, where  all  admit  that  it  must  be  interpreted  metaphori- 
cally. 

(1.)  It  is  distinctly  admitted  that  examples  of  such  use  of 
language  are  found  in  the  Old  Testament.  Isaiah  xiii.  is  a 
clear  example  of  a  figurative  prediction  of  the  overthrow  of 
Babylon  ;  and  the  language  is  similar  to  that  in  the  text  be- 
fore us.  Ezek.  xxxii.  presents  another  example  of  the  use  of 
such  language,  and  applies  to  the  destruction  of  Egypt.  Isa. 
xxxiv.  affords  another  specimen,  and  applies  to  the  overthrow 
of  Edom. 

Isa.  li.  6,  which  Whitby  quotes  as  another  specimen,  and 
applies  to  the  destruction  of  the  army  of  Sennacherib,  is  NOT 
a  specimen,  and  there  is  no  authority  whatever  for  referring  it 
to  any  such  event. 

Dan.  viii.  10  is,  perhaps,  in  some  measure,  another  speci- 
"men,  and  is  a  symbolical  description  of  the  doings  of  the  lit- 
tle horn  in  the  vision  of  the  prophet. 

There  are  yet  two  other  passages  which  are  usually  quoted 


216  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

to  justify  such  a  metaphorical  reference  to  the  luminaries  of 
heaven  ;  and  great  reliance  is  placed  upon  these  passages,  be- 
cause, as  Whitby,  Clarke,  and  others  say,  "  This  very  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  is  represented  "  thus  in  those  passages.  The 
reference  is  to  Joel  ii.  30,  31,  and  iii.  15. 

Now,  let  it  be  well  understood,  that  the  writer  of  this  Ex- 
position takes  issue  with  the  commentators  on  this  point,  and 
distinctly  denies  what  they  so  confidently  affirm.  The  writer 
has  at  hand  only  two  commentaries  on  this  part  of  the  Old 
Testament,  —  the  one  by  Patrick,  Lowth,  &c.,  and  the  work 
of  Dr.  Clarke.  He  is  not  prepared,  therefore,  to  exhibit  all 
that  men  may  have  said  on  this  subject ;  nor  does  he  deem  it 
necessary;  the  appeal  is  to  the  word  of  God  —  to  the  very 
chapters  in  dispute.  Attention  is  called,  first,  to  Joel  ii.  30,  31. 

Verse  30.  "  And  I  will  show  wonders  in  the  heavens  and 
in  the  earth,  blood,  and  fire,  and  pillars  of  smoke.  31.  The 
sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  and  the  moon  into  blood, 
before  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  come."  This, 
it  is  affirmed,  relates  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  But 
what  does  GOD  say  on  the  subject  ? 

Verse  32.  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  shall 
call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  delivered ;  for  in 
Mount  Zion  and  in  Jerusalem  shall  1e  deliverance,  as  the 
Lord  hath  said,  and  in  the  remnant  whom  the  Lord  shall  call. 
Chapter  iii.  1.  FOR,  BEHOLD,  IN  THOSE  DAYS,  AND  IN  THAT  TIME, 

WHEN  I  SHALL  BEING  AGAIN  THE  CAPTIVITY  OF  JlJDAH  AND  JERU- 
SALEM, 2.  I  will  also  gather  all  nations,  and  will  bring  them 
down  into  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  will  plead  with 
them  there  for  rny  people  and  for  my  heritage  Israel,  whom 
they  have  scattered  among  tJie  nations,  and  parted  my  land" 

Then  follows  from  verse  3  to  6  a  narration  of  what  the  en- 
emies of  Israel  had  done  to  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  and  for 
which  God  was  going  to  interpose  in  behalf  of  his  people,  and 
recompense  the  evil  which  had  been  done  to  them  upon  all  the 
nat/ions  which  had  afflicted  his  heritage.  Then  God  speaks  to 
the  nations  which  have  afflicted  his  people :  Verse  7.  "  Be- 
hold I  will  raise  them  out  of  the  place  whither  ye  have  sold 
them,  and  will  return  your  recompense  upon  your  own  head : 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION*  217 

8.  And  I  will  sell  your  sons  and  your  daughters  into  the  hand 
of  the  children  of  Judah,  and  they  shall  sell  them  to  the  Sa- 
beans,  —  to  a  people  far-off;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." 

Then  follows  the  proclamation  of  the  general  war  between 
"the  Gentiles"  —  "all  nations"  —  "all  the  heathen"— and 
God's  people  Israel.  They  were  to  beat  the  plow  shares  into 
swords,  the  pruning  hooks  into  spears ;  and  they  were  told 
where  the  great  bat  tie  should  be.  12.  "  Let  the  heathen  be 
wakened,  and  come  up  to  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat:  for 
there  will  I  sit  TO  JUDGE  ALL  THE  HEATHEN  ROUND  ABOUT.  13. 
Put  ye  in  the  sickle,  for  the  harvest  is  ripe  /  come,  get  you 
down ;  for  the  press  is  full,  the  vats  overflow  ;  for  their  wick- 
edness is  great." 

Then  follows  a  description  of  the  scene ;  how  God  will  in- 
terpose in  behalf  of  his  people  /  how  they  shall  triumph,  and 
evermore  dwell  in  prosperity  and  safety.  It  shall  be  a  great 
battle  ;  a  great  and  terrible  day  for  the  Gentiles  ;  a  great  and 
glorious  triumph  for  the  Jews.  Yerse  14.  "  Multitudes,  mul- 
titudes in  the  valley  of  decision  ;  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is 
near  in  the  valley  of  decision.  15.  The  sun  and  the  moon 
shall  be  darkened,  and  the  stars  shall  withdraw  their  shining. 
16.  The  Lord  also  shall  roar  out  of  Zion,  and  utter  his  voice 
from  Jerusalem  •  and  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  shake  ; 
but  the  Lord  will  be  the  hope  of  his  people,  and  the  strength 
of  the  CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL.  17.  So  shall  ye  know  that  I  am 
the  Lord  your  God  dwelling  in  Zion,  my  holy  mountain : 
then  shall  Jerusalem  be  holy,  and  there  shall  no  stranger  pass 
through  her  any  more.  18.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that 
day,  that  the  mountains  shall  drop  down  new  wine,  and  the 
hills  shall  flow  with  milk,  and  all  the  rivers  of  Judah  shall 
flow  with  waters,  and  a  fountain  shall  come  forth  of  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  and  shall  water  the  valley  of  Shittim.  19.  Egypt 
shall  be  a  desolation,  and  Edom  shall  be  a  desolate  wilder- 
ness, for  the  violence  against  the  children  of  Judah,  because 
they  have  shed  innocent  blood  in  their  land.  20.  But  Judah 
shall  dwell  forever,  and  Jerusalem,  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion. 21.  For  I  will  cleanse  their  blood  that  I  have  not 
cleansed ;  for  the  Lord  dwelleth  in  Zion." 


218  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

The  reader  is  particularly  desired  to  read  the  foregoing  quo- 
tations and  remarks,  and  also  the  observations  which  shall  fol- 
low, with  the  Bible  open  before  him,  that  he  may  perceive 
their  relevancy  and  collusiveness. 

In  respect  to  these  chapters  in  Joel,  it  is  observed, 

Firstly.  That  the  foregoing  remarks  are  not  designed  for  a 
general  comment,  but  only  to  direct  the  reader's  attention  to 
the  general  scope  of  the  passage,  and  the  connection  between 
the  two  chapters. 

Secondly.  The  third  chapter  is  God's  own  explanation,  not 
only  of  the  time,  ~but  of  the  nature,  of  the  events  referwd  to  in 
the  second  chapter.  There  was  no  division  into  chapters  when 
the  prophet  gave  the  word  of  the  Lord :  he  made  a  general 
statement  of  the  great  events  of  the  day  of  the  Lord  ;  and 
then,  without  any  division  or  interruption  in  his  discourse, 
went  on  to  give  God's  own  explanation  of  the  matter.  Let 
this  be  noticed  and  remembered. 

Thirdly.  The  time  of  this  darkening  of  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars  was  NOT  the  time  when  the  Jews  were  under  affliction. 
It  was  NOT  when  their  state,  church,  temple,  and  people  per- 
ished.  It  was  NOT  the  time  when  God  helped  tlw  heathen 
against  the  Jews.  It  was  NOT  the  time  when  God's  people 
went  into  captivity.  It  was  NOT  a  day  of  terror  and  suf- 
fering to  Israel.  It  was  NOT  a  day  of  judgment  that  brought 
in  desolation  upon  Judah  and  Jerusalem. 

The  commentators  who  refer  these  signs  in  the  heavens  to 
the  calamities  of  the  Jews,  take  the  affirmative  of  the  forego- 
ing declaration ;  this  Exposition  takes  the  negative. 

But,  lest  there  might  be  a  suspicion  of  injustice  towards  the 
commentators  in  thus  pointing  out  their  position  in  the  argu- 
ment, their  own  words  will  be  given.  The  first  quotation  is 
from  the  work  of  Patrick,  Lowth,  &c. 

Joel  ii.  30.  "  This  and  the  following  verse  principally  point 
out  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  temple  of  Jerusalem  by 
the  Romans,  a  judgment  justly  inflicted  upon  the  Jewish  na- 
tion for  their  resisting  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  contempt  of  the 
means  of  grace.  So  Malachi,  after  he  had  foretold  the  com- 
ing of  the  Messiah,  (iii.  1,)  immediately  adds  that  his  coming 


HABMONY  A30>  EXPOSmOH.  219 

should  be  attended  with  terrible  judgments  upon  the  disobe- 
dient, (iiL  2,  iii.  5,  and  iv.  1.)  The  prophet  here  takes  notice 
of  the  extraordinary  signs  which  will  be  the  forerunners  of 
that  destruction;  such  were  the  great  slaughters  of  men, 
and  burning  of  the  towns  and  cities  of  Judea,  which  prece- 
ded that  last  and  finishing  stroke  of  the  divine  vengeance  ; 
and  chiefly  the  comet  which  hung  over  their  city,  and  the 
fearful  sights  seen  in  the  air  some  time  before,  which  are 
mentioned  by  Josephus,  De  Bell.  Jud.,  lib.  6,  cap.  31,  and 
foretold  by  Christ,  Luke  xxi.  11." 

Verse  31.  "  Compare  MaL  iv.  5.  Particular  judgments 
upon  kingdoms  and  nations  are  often  described  in  such  terms 
as  properly  belong  to  the  general  judgment.  The  expressions 
here  used,  in  the  literal  sense,  import  the  failing  of  light  in 
the  sun  and  moon,  whether  by  eclipses  (when  the  moon  looks 
of  a  bloody  color,)  or  any  other  cause  ;  and  here  they  denote 
the  dark  and  melancholy  state  of  public  affairs  at  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Jewish  nations  by  the  Romans ;  and  the  utter 
overthrow  of  that  state  and  government."  (See  the  note  upon 
Isa.  xiii.  10.) 

Dr.  Clarke's  annotations  are  equally  definite  in  applying 
the  signs  under  consideration  to  Jewish  calamities : 

Terse  39.  "  Wonders  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth.'] 
This  refers  to  the  fearful  sights,  dreadful  portents,  and  de- 
structive commotions,  by  which  the  Jewish  polity  was  finally 
overthrown,  and  the  Christian  religion  finally  established  in 
the  Roman  empire.  See  how  our  Lord  applies  this  prophecy, 
Matt.  xxiv.  29,  and  the  parallel  texts." 

Verse  31.  "The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness.]  The 
Jewish  polity,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  shall  be  entirely  de- 
stroyed." 

With  this  application  of  the  passage,  agree  all  the  com- 
mentators that  give  a  figurative  interpretation  to  the  language 
in  Matt  xxiv.  29.  The  issue,  then,  is  distinct :  the  commen- 
taries generally  take  the  affirmative  of  the  foregoing  summary 
of  statements ;  this  Exposition  takes  the  negative.  Kow  for 
the  proof:  the  prophet — or  the  Lord,  rather,  by  the  prophet — 
filial!  give  his  own  explanation. 


220  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

(1.)  That  the  last  verse  of  the  second  chapter  refers  to  the 
same  period  of  time,  is  perfectly  evident  from  its  connections. 
AND  THE  COMMENTATORS  UNDERSTAND  IT  so ;  only  they  give  it 
a  spiritual  signification  ! 

(2.)  That  fazftrst  verse  of  the  next  chapter  refers  to  the  same 
time,  GOD  HIMSELF  DISTINCTLY  AND  REPEATEDLY  DECLARES.  If 
the  commentators  affirm  differently,  it  is  sufficient  that  God 
has  made  his  own  statement :  "  Let  God  be  true  and  e very- 
man  a  liar."  "  FOR,  behold,  IN  THOI>E  DAYS,  and  IN  THAT  TIME, 
(how  specific  !)  WHEN  I  SHALL  BRING  AGAIN  THE  CAPTIVITY  OF 
JUDAH  AND  JERUSALEM."  Now,  this  does  not  refer  to  a  time 
when  Judah  and  Jerusalem  are  brought  into  captivity,  but 
out  of  captivity.  And  so  it  is  understood  by  the  commenta- 
tors themselves.  And  well  they  may,  for  it  is  precisely  the 
meaning  which  is  everywhere  else  attached  to  this  form  of 
expression.  See,  for  example,  other  places  :  Jer.  xxx.  3, "  For 

10,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  bring  again  the 
capti/vity  of  my  people,  Israel  and  Judah,  saith  the  Lord : 
and  I  will  cause  them  to  return  to  the  land  that  I  gave  to  their 
fathers,  and  they  shall  possess  it"    See  also  verse  18.  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  Behold,  I  will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  Ja- 
cob's tents,  and  have  mercy  on  his  dwelling  places  ;  and  the 
city  shall  be  builded  upon  her  own  heap,  and  the  palace  shall 
remain  after  the  manner  thereof."    See  likewise,  chap,  xxxiii.  7. 
"And  I  will  cause  the  captivity  of  Judah  and  the  captivity  of 
Israel  to  return,  and  will  build  them  as  at  the  first."     Verse 

11.  "  For  I  will  cause  to  return  the  captivity  of  the  land,  as  at 
the   first,  saith  the  Lord."    Examine  also  all  the  parallel 
places. 

We  have  now  advanced  two  steps  in  the  argument :  it  has 
been  proved,  by  the  commentators  themselves,  —  or,  rather, 
by  the  undeniable  connections  of  the  passage, — that  the  last 
verse  of  the  second  chapter  refers  to  the  same  time  that  the 
sun  and  moon  are  to  be  darkened.  And  it  has  been  proved — 
it  is  spoken  with  reverence — by  God  himself,  that  the  first 
verse  of  the  next  chapter  refers  to  the  days  spoken  of  in  the 
former.  And  from  the  declaration  of  the  Almighty,  we  learn 
that  "  THOSE  DAYS,"  and  "  THAT  TIME,"  do  not  refer  to  the  time 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  221 

of  the  Jewish  calamities  and  destruction,  but — and  God  is 
witness — to  the  time  when  he  "  shall  oring  again  the  captivity 
of  Judah  and  Jerusalem ;"  i.  e.,  when  he  shall  bring  them 
back  again  to  their  own  land,  to  build  them  up  and  to  bless 
them,  as  is  proved  by  the  parallel  predictions.  The  issue 
thus  far  has  been  plain,  and  the  evidence  undeniable  and  de- 
cisive. But  more  yet  remains. 

(3.)  "In  those  days,  and  at  that  time"  God  will,  indeed, 
bring  all  the  heathen  nations  against  Jerusalem  to  battle ;  it 
will  be  a  time  of  terrible  commotion  and  slaughter.  Yerse 
2.  <r  I  will  also  gather  all  nations,  and  will  bring  them  down 
into  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  will  plead  with  them 
there  for  my  people,  and  for  my  heritage,  Israel,  whom  they 
have  scattered  among  the  nations,  and  parted  my  land"  God's 
controversy  at  this  time  is  not  to  be  with  his  people,  but  with 
their  enemies  who  come  up  to  fight  against  Israel.  And  his 
pleading  with  the  enemies  of  his  "  heritage  Israel,"  will  be 
such  as  he  describes  in  Isa.  Ixvi.  16  :  "  For  by  Jure,  and  by  his 
sword,  will  the  I^ord  plead  with  all  flesh  /  and  the  slain  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  many." 

The  nature  of  the  contest,  and  who  are  to  be  the  sufferers, 
may  be  still  further  seen  by  the  Lord's  threatening  to  the  hea- 
then nations  that  came  against  Jerusalem :  Yerse  6.  "  The 
children  also  of  Judah,  and  the  children  of  Jerusalem  have 
ye  sold  unto  the  Grecians,  that  ye  might  remove  them  far  from 
their  border.  7.  Behold,  I  will  raise  them  out  of  the  place 
whither  ye  have  sold  them,  and  will  return  you  recompense 
upon  your  own  head." 

]S"ow,  as  previously  shown,  follows  the  divine  proclamation 
of  the  general  war  of  the  Gentiles  against  the  Jews,  In 
noticing  this,  we  shall  observe  the  specific  time  when  the  sun 
is  to  be  darkened. 

Yerse  9.  "Proclaim  ye  this  among  the  Gentiles ;  prepare  war ; 
make  up  the  mighty  men  ;  let  all  the  men  of  war  draw  near; 
let  them  come  up.  10.  Beat  your  plowshares  into  swords, 
and  your  pruning  hooks  into  spears  ;  let  the  weak  say,  I  am 
strong.  11.  Assemble  yourselves,  and  come,  all  ye  heathen, 
and  gather  yourselves  together  round  about ;  thither 


222  HABMONY  AND   EXPOSITION. 

thy  mighty  ones  to  come  down,  0  Lord.  12.  Let  the  heathen 
be  wakened,  and  come  up  to  the  valley  of  Jehoshephat ;  for 
there  will  I  sit  to  judge  all  the  heathen  round  about.  13.  Put 
ye  in  the  sickle,/^  the  harvest  is  ripe  ;  come,  get  you  down ; 
for  the  press  is  full,  the  vats  overflow ;  for  their  wickedness  is 
great." 

And  now  the  scene  is  depicted ;  the  vast  gathering  of  Is- 
rael's enemies  ;  the  day  of  God's  vengeance  upon  them  draw- 
ing nigh  ;  God'3*  method  of  interposing  "  for  his  heritage  Is- 
rael," by  wonders  in  heaven  above  and  in  earth  beneath  ;/and 
the  triumph  and  permanent  prosperity  of  Israel  ever  after. 

Verse  14.  "  Multitudes,  multitudes  in  the  valley  of  decis- 
ion ;  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  near  in  the  valley  of  decis- 
ion. 15.  THE  STJN  AND  THE  MOON  SHALL  BE  DARKENED,  AND 
THE  STABS  SHALL  WITHDRAW  THEIR  SHINING.  16.  The  Lord 

shall  roar  out  of  Zion,  and  utter  his  voice  from  Jerusalem  ; 
and  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  shake;  BUT  THE  LORD 

WDLL  BE  THE  HOPE  OF  HIS  PEOPLE,  AND  THE  STRENGTH  OF  THE 
CHILDREN  OF  ISRAEL." 

The  battle  over,  the  enemies  of  Israel  slain  by  the  divine 
vengeance,  the  "  children  of  Israel "  triumphant  by  the 
strength  of  the  Lord,  now  follows  the  permanent  result  to  Je- 
rusalem and  the  Lord's  heritage. 

Yerse  17.  "  So  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  your 
God,  dwelling  in  Zion^  my  holy  mountain  ;  then  shall  Jerusa- 
lem oe  holy>  and  there  shall  no  stranger  pass  through  h&r  any 
more." 

The  remainder  of  the  chapter,  like  the  verse  just  quoted, 
sufficiently  shows  that  the  prophecy  does  not  relate  to  the  time 
of  trouble  and  desolation,  but  to  a  time  of  triumph  and  per- 
manent prosperity.  There  is  no  way  to  avoid  the  perfect  con- 
clusiveness  of  the  argument  thus  far,  except  by  affirming,  (1.) 
That  the  last  verse  of  the  second  chapter  does  not  refer  to  the 
Bame  time  as  the  verses  preceding  it ;  or,  (2.)  That  the  first 
verse  of  the  third  chapter  does  not  refer  to  the  same  period 
as  the  conclusion  of  the  second  chapter.  But  the  inseparable 
connection  of  these  specified  portions  is  so  evident  and  unde- 
niable, that  probably  no  intelligent  man  can  be  brought  to 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  223 

deny  it.  The  commentators  are  under  the  necessity  of  ad- 
mitting it ;  and  it  is  only  by  the  irresponsible  and  unjustifia- 
ble liberties  taken  by  the  figurative  theory  of  interpretation, 
that  anything  can  be  said  by  way  of  explaining  this  portion 
of  the  Bible,  with  any  degree  of  relation  to  the  Roman  war. 
There  is  a  possibility  that  the  merely  superficial  or  casual 
reader  might,  at  first,  be  led  to  suppose  that  the  specific  and 
repeated  allusion  to  the  time  which  we  see  in  the  1st  verse  of 
the  third  chapter,  may  not  refer  to  the  time  described  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  but  to  the  time  "  when  I  shall  bring  again 
the  captivity  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem."  But  the  critical  di- 
vines know  very  well  that  the  language  does  not  afford  a 
doubt  of  the  reference  being  to  the  times  described  in  the  sec- 
ond chapter.  Even  those  who  are  utterly  perplexed  in  their 
endeavors  to  explain  the  third  chapter  in  its  connections  with 
the  second,  honestly  admit  the  relation. 

Take,  for  example,  the  admission  of  Dr.  Lowth  in  the  Com- 
mentary of  Patrick,  Lowth,  &c. ;  "  Yerse  1.  In  those  days, 
and  in  that  time.']  The  time  called  *  the  last  days '  ch.  ii.  28," 
&c.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  this  divine  supposes  what  is  re- 
corded in  this  chapter,  will  not  take  place  until  "  the  latter 
part  of  these  last  days,  or  times,"  which  he  thinks  include  the 
whole  period  between  the  first  and  second  advent.  Dr.  Clarke 
is  equally  clear  in  making  this  admission:  Yerse  1.  For,  'be- 
hold, in  those  daysJ\  According  to  the  preceding  prophecy, 
these  days  should  refer  to  gospel  times,  or  to  such  as  should 
immediately  precede  them."  The  italicising  is  retained  as  it 
is  in  the  book.  Now,  as  the  reader  is  desired  particularly  to 
notice,  the  very  commentators  who  refer  the  darkening  of  the 
sun  to  the  Jewish  calamities  under  the  Romans,  acknowledge 
the  unbroken  and  inseparable  connection  between  the  2d  and 
3d  chapters ;  but,  behold,  when  they  come  to  comment  on 
this  very  darkening  of  the  sun,  in  connection  with  the  events 
with  which  it  is  so  undeniably  associated,  as  God  explains  it 
in  the  3d  chapter,  they  totally  abandoned  the  ground  of  their 
former  exposition,  and  refer  it  to  other  events,  or  confess  their 
inability  to  understand  it. 

This  is  the  course  of  Dr.  Lowth,  as  may  be  seen  by  consult- 


224  HAKMONY   Am>  EXPOSITION. 

ing  his  notes  on  the  chapter.  And,  as  for  Dr.  Clarke,  his 
comment  is  so  remarkable  that  it  shall  be  quoted  here  not 
only  as  a  curiosity  in  Bible  exegesis,  but  as  a  demonstration  of 
the  utter  insufficiency  and  inconsistency  of  the  usual  figura- 
tive theory  for  explaining  these  portions  of  the  Bible. 

"  Verse  1.  For,  behold,  in  those  days.~\  According  to  the 
preceding  prophecy,  these  days  should  refer  to  gospel  times, 
or  to  such  as  should  immediately  [precede  them.  But  this  is  a 
part  of  the  prophecy  which  is  difficult  to  be  understood.  All 
interpreters  a/re  at  variance  upon  it  j — some  applying  its  prin- 
cipal parts  to  Cambyses  j  his  unfortunate  expedition  to  Egypt ; 
the  destruction  of  fifty  thousand  of  his  troops  (by  the  moving 
pillars  of  sand,)  whom  he  had  sent  across  the  desert  to  plun- 
der the  rich  temple  of  Jupiter  Ammon  ;  his  return  to  Judea, 
and  dying  of  a  wound  which  he  received  from  his  own  sword, 
in  mounting  his  horse,  which  happened  at  Ecbatane,  at  the 
foot  of  Mount  Carmel.  On  which  his  army,  composed  of 
different  nations,  seeing  themselves  without  a  head,  fell  out, 
and  fought  against  each  other,  till  the  whole  were  destroyed. 
And  this  is  supposed  to  be  what  Ezekiel  means  by  Gog  and 
Magog,  and  the  destruction  of  the  former.  See  Ezek.  xxxviii 
and  xxxix.  [! !]  Others  apply  this  to  the  victories  gained  by 
the  Maccabees,  and  the  destruction  brought  upon  the  enemies 
of  their  country ;  while  several  consider  the  whole  as  a  figu- 
rative prediction  of  the  success  of  the  gospel  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth.  It  may  refer  to  those  times  in  which  the  Jews 
shall  be  brought  in  with  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,  and  be 
reestablished  in  their  own  land.  Or,  there  may  be  portions 
in  this  prophecy  that  refer  to  all  the  events  ;  [!]  and  to  others 
that  have  not  yet  fallen  into  the  range  of  human  conjecture  ;  [!] 
and  will  be  only  known  when  the  time  of  fulfillment  shall 
take  place.  In  this  painful  uncertainty,  rendered  still  more 
so  by  the  discordant  opinions  of  many  wise  and  learned  men, 
it  appears  to  be  my  province,  as  I  have  nothing  in  the  form 
of  a  new  conjecture  to  offer,  to  confine  myself  to  an  explana- 
tion of  \hsphraseology  of  the  chapter ;  and  leave  the  reader  to 
apply  it  as  it  may  seem  best  to  his  own  judgment."  [! ! !] 

It  is  really  painful  to  observe  the  indefiniteness,  confusion, 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  225 

and  contradictions  which  characterize  most  of  the  usual  an- 
notations on  the  times  of  general  gathering  and  conversion  of 
the  Jewish  people.  And  yet  the  fact  of  their  final  gathering 
is  too  evident  from  the  prophecies  to  be  denied.  And  this 
unhappy  state  of  difference  and  difficulty  among  the  commen- 
tators, which  Dr.  Clarke  has  so  truly  described  and  exhibited, 
may  be  attributed  mainly,  if  not  entirely,  to  the  trouble  which 
is  occasioned  to  them  by  their  unfortunate  theory  of  literali- 
zing  what  they  happen  to  understand,  of  spiritualizing  what 
is  a  little  obscure,  and  allegorizing  here  and  there  through 
the  chapters  and  verses,  with  little  or  no  respect  to  the  proper 
rules  of  literary  criticism.  When  the  times  and  events  of  this 
chapter  are  spoken  of  in  other  places,  they  sometimes  refer 
them  to  one  thing,  and  sometimes  to  another,  without  any 
apparent  standard  of  certainty  to  guide  them.  And  yet  the 
reference  to  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and  moon  in  these  two 
chapters,  in  the  first  place,  is  affirmed  confidently  (without  a 
shadow  of  proof,  however,)  to  refer  to  the  result  of  the  Roman 
war.  But  when  the  same  thing  is  considered  in  the  connec- 
tions with  which  the  prophecy  has  placed  it,  we  meet  with 
little  else  than  obscurity,  confusion,  and  contradiction  in  the 
annotations  of  our  numerous  divines.  And  yet  the  time  of 
the  events  in  this  third  chapter  of  Joel  is  proved  to  be  the 
same  period  which  is  described  in  the  chapter  preceding  it. 

But  did  not  St.  Peter,  in  the  discourse  recorded  in  Acts,  2d 
chapter,  apply  this  darkening  of  the  sun,  &c.,  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  nation  by  the  Romans  ?  No  ;  he  did  not  do  any 
such  thing :  Those  who  assert  it,  do  so  without  a  particle  of 
proof :  they  do  so  against  proof :  All  that  Peter  affirmed  in 
quoting  the  prophecy  of  Joel,  was  simply  that  the  dispensa- 
tion, or  period  of  time,  spoken  of  in  the  prophecies  as  "  the 
last  days,"  had  now  begun  ;  and  this  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
was  the  proof  of  it.  And  he  quoted  the  paragraph  including 
the  reference  to  the  darkening  of  the  sun,  not  only  because  it 
was  originally  associated  with  it  in  the  prophecy,  but  because 
there  was  an  object  in  showing  that  these  last  days  were  to 
continue  until  the  final  closing  up  of  the  Messianic  dispensa^ 
tion.  He  wished  to  show  to  them  that  the  very  time  had  be  • 
15 


236  HABMONY  AKD  EXPOSITION. 

gun  which  should  continue  until,  as  he  afterwards  said  to  the 
Jews,  (ch.  iv.  21,)  "  the  times  of  the  restitution  of  all  things, 
which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets 
since  the  world  began."  "  Yea,"  continued  he,  "  and  all  the 
prophets  from  Samuel  and  those  that  follow  after,  as  many  as 
have  spoken,  have  likewise  foretold  of  these  days."  But  Joel 
has  distinctly  predicted,  that  these  days,  thus  begun,  are  to 
continue  until  the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  and  the  final  over- 
throw of  their  enemies  in  the  great  battle  that  should  result 
in  the  complete  and  permanent  establishment  of  Israel  in  their 
own  land.  And  Peter  knew  that  the  prophet,  when  he  spake 
of  this  darkening  of  the  sun  in  its  relation  to  associated 
events,  described  it  as  occurring  at  the  dosing  up  of  the  tribu- 
lation of  the  Jews,  at  the  great  battle  that  should  destroy  their 
enemies!  As  there  is  not  one  word  in  Joel  that  favors  the 
application  of  this  event  to  the  destruction  of  the  Jews, — as 
everything  in  his  prophecy  goes  against  such  an  applica- 
tion ; — so,  in  the  address  of  Peter  :  there  is  not  one  word  that 
favors  such  an  application ;  the  scope  of  his  argument  did  not 
admit  it ;  his  reference  to  the  period  of  consummation  of  all 
the  prophecies  forbids  it.  Such  an  application  has  been  his- 
torically proved  to  be  utterly  at  variance  with  the  recorded 
facts  ;  it  has  been  proved  to  be  contrary  to  logic, — reasoning 
from  admitted  premises  ;  and  it  has  been  incontestibly  dem- 
onstrated from  the  prophecy  of  Joel  itself,  that  the  darkening 
of  the  sun,  &c.,  relates  to  a  time  of  general  deliverance  to  the 
Jews,  and  not  to  a  time  of  desolation. 

Having  now  spoken  thus  lengthily  of  the  prophecy  in  Joel, 
because  it  is  the  one  chiefly  relied  upon  to  sustain  the  figura- 
tive interpretation  of  the  verse  in  Matthew,  which  relates  to 
the  darkening  of  the  luminaries,  it  will  be  appropriate  now  to 
offer  some  observations  on  the  several  passages  where  the 
same  or  similar  language  is  used,  and  admitted  to  be  figura- 
tive in  its  character. 

1.  Such  passages  are  always  found  in  the  evidently  and 
confessedly  poetic  portions  of  the  prophecies.  But  the  dis- 
course of  Christ  is  simple  prose,  without  a  single  attempt  at 
poetic  images  and  adornment.  The  advocates  of  the  figura- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  227 

tive  theory  will  admit  this,  so  far  as  it  applies  to  the  discourse 
generally ,  excepting  only  the  passage  in  dispute. 

2.  In  every  instance  of  such  use  of  this  language  in  the 
prophecies  there  is  an  explanation  of  its  meaning,  and  a  lit- 
eral application  of  it,  in  connection  with  its  figurative  use.  God 
deemed  it  not  expedient  to  trust  the  human  mind  with  such 
metaphors  without  giving  them  his  own  explanation.  This 
most  extraordinary  and  important  fact,  so  far  as  the  writer 
recollects,  has  never  yet  been  published.  "We  will  notice  all  the 
texts  which  are  usually  quoted  to  justify  the  figurative  inter- 
pretation of  the  passage  in  Matthew.  The  first  is  Isa.  xiii.  9, 
10.  "  Behold  the  day  of  the  Lord  cometh,  cruel  both  with 
wrath  and  fierce  anger,  to  lay  the  land  desolate  :  and  he  shall 
destroy  the  sinners  out  of  it.  For  the  stars  of  heaven  and  the 
constellations  thereof  shall  not  give  their  light :  the  sun  shall 
be  darkened  in  his  going  forth,  and  the  moon  shall  not  cause 
her  light  to  shine."  After  this  figurative  description  follows 
the  literal  explanation,  which,  in  so  many  words,  tells  us  that 
it  refers  to  the  overthrow  of  Bain/Ion  ~by  the  Medes. 

The  next  is  Isa.  xxxiv.  4.  "  And  all  the  host  of  heaven 
shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  heavens  shall  be  rolled  together 
as  a  scroll ;  and  all  their  host  shall  fall  down,  as  the  leaf  fall- 
eth  off  from  the  vine,  and  as  a  falling  fig  from  the  fig-tree." 
Then  the  prophet  goes  right  on  to  say  expressly  that  it  applies 
to  the  desolation  of  Idumea. 

Jeremiah  xv.  9,  may  be  considered,  perhaps,  in  some 
measure  an  example  of  such  use  of  language.  Whether  it  is 
or  not,  the  context  gives  a  literal  and  clear  application  of  the 
language  to  the  judgments  of  God  upon  Jerusalem  and  the 
nation,  on  account  of  the  sin  of  Manasseh,  the  king. 

The  next  passage  is  Ezek.  xxxii.  7,  8.  "  And  when  I  put 
thee  out,  I  will  cover  the  heaven,  and  make  the  stars  thereof 
dark  ;  I  will  cover  the  sun  with  a  cloud,  and  the  moon  shall 
not  give  her  light."  Then  it  goes  right  on  to  say  expressly 
that  it  refers  to  the  desolation  of  Egypt  liy  the  king  of  Babylon. 

Amos  viii.  9,  is  usually  quoted  as  another  example.  "  And 
it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  saith  the  Lord  God,  that  I 
will  cause  the  sun  to  go  down  at  noon,  and  I  will  darken  the 


228  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

earth  in  the  clear  day."  This  is  both  preceded  and  followed 
by  clear  and  literal  applications  to  the  judgments  of  God 
upon  the  Jews  for  their  oppression  and  idolatry.  Daniel  viii. 
10,  is  also  referred  to.  "  And  it  waxed  great,  even  to  the 
host  of  heaven ;  and  it  cast  down  some  of  the  host  and  of 
the  stars  to  the  ground,  and  stamped  upon  them."  This  is 
a  symbolical  representation  of  the  doings  of  one  of  the  suc- 
cessors of  the  Grecian  king,  and  is  thus  literally  explained 
and  applied  in  connection  with  the  account  of  the  vision. 

Another  reference  is  to  Joel  ii.  10,  11.  "  The  earth  shall 
quake  before  them  ;  the  heavens  shall  tremble  ;  the  sun  and 
the  moon  shall  be  dark,  and  the  stars  shall  withdraw  their 
shining.  And  the  Lord  shall  utter  his  voice  before  his  army ; 
for  his  camp  is  very  great ;  for  he  is  strong  that  executeth  his 
word ;  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  great  and  very  terrible ; 
and  who  can  abide  it  ? "  This  is  preceded  by  a  description  of 
a  visitation  of  the  locusts,  under  the  idea  of  an  army  ;  and  is 
followed  by  a  plain  statement  (verses  20,  25,)  of  the  fact  that 
it  means  a  visitation  of  locusts  and  other  destructive  insects. 
Then  follows  the  passage  in  verse  30,  31,  of  which  so  much 
has  already  been  said.  Now,  let  it  be  distinctly  noticed,  that, 
if  this  is  figurative  language,  it  is  an  EXCEPTION  to  all  the 
other  passages,  for  it  is  nowhere  explained !  This  ought  of 
itself  to  be  deemed  decisive  of  its  literal  character.  Although 
it  is  nowhere  explained,  it  is  elsewhere  applied ;  for  in  the 
third  chapter,  where  the  time  and  the  events  are  more  dis- 
tinctly described,  it  is  applied  to  the  time  of  God's  deliverance 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  the  destruction  of  their  ene- 
mies, at  the  final  redemption  from  captivity. 

If  anything  more  need  to  be  said  to  show  the  utter  failure 
of  the  common  attempts  to  justify  the  figurative  interpreta- 
tion of  the  darkening  of  the  heavens,  as  described  in  Joel, 
and  in  our  Lord's  discourse,  it  should  be  by  way  of  inquiry 
into  the  origin  and  propriety  of  metaphorical  language.  The 
argument  can  only  be  touched  upon  in  this  connection,  as  it 
is  too  extensive,  and  perhaps  not  sufficiently  relevant  for  the 
subject  of  the  Exposition.  A  few  observations  only  will  be 
submitted. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  229 

(1.)  The  use  of  'metaphor! c  language  implies  a  knowledge 
or  idea  of  what  would  be  understood  if  such  language  were 
applied  literally.  No  one  ever  uses  figures  without  having  in 
view  the  literal  things  from  which  the  figures  are  derived. 
If  we  speak  of  a  man  as  the  pillar  of  the  state,  we  have  in 
view  the  nature  of  a  literal  column  at  the  same  time.  If  we 
say  Christianity  is  the  sun  of  the  world,  it  implies  that  we 
have  a  previous  understanding  of  the  nature  and  fact  of  the 
sun. 

(2.)  Now,  whence  did  this  ancient  figurative  use  of  the 
darkening  of  the  luminaries  arise  ?  How  did  it  happen  that 
it  was  so  common  for  the  prophets  to  speak  of  ordinary,  lim- 
ited judgments,  in  language  which  all  admit  would,  if  used 
literally,  apply  to  the  general  judgment?  How  became  it  so 
common  to  speak  metaphorically  of  the  darkening  of  the 
sun,  moon,  and  stars,  and  the  passing  away  of  the  heavens  ? 
Figures  are  the  shadow  of  the  literal.  Where  is  the  substance 
that  originates  the  shadow  ?  Metaphors  are  borrowed  from 
literal  speech.  Where  is  the  literal  speech,  and  the  revela- 
tion of  the  literal  idea,  of  the  blotting  out  of  the  bright 
heavens,  and  the  downfall  of  the  world  ? 

(3.)  This  question  is  to  be  settled  by  those  who  seize  upon 
every  reference  to  these  great  events,  and  pronounce  them 
figurative.  Will  they  please  to  tell  us  where  there  is  a  spot 
in  all  the  Bible  where  the  literalist  may  plant  his  feet,  and 
stand  up  in  defence  of  orthodoxy,  and  give  a  philosophical 
explanation  of  the  commonness  of  such  language  as  appears 
to  refer  to  the  day  of  judgment? 


230  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Principal  siibject — DARKENING  OF  THE  LUMINARIES,  AND  THE 

ATTENDING   CIRCUMSTANCES. 

Preliminaries — Plan  of  the  Argument— "The  Tribulation  of  those  days"— • 
The  days  defined  —  Important  Consideration  —  An  Omitted  Verse  —  How 
long  the  Time  is  to  last  —  Conclusion  of  this  branch  of  the  Argument- 
Darkening  the  Luminaries —  An  Error  of  the  Literalists — Nature  of  Meta- 
phorical Language — Where  is  the  Original  ? — Ho\v  the  Scriptures  speak 
to  men — Important  Distinction  —  The  Prophecy  of  Joel  and  of  Christ 
compared — The  specific  Time  and  Circumstances  of  Darkening  the  Lumina- 
ries— Parallel  Predictions  —  Parallelism  of  Times  and  Events  —  Gog  and 
Magog  —  Objection,  that  St.  John  describes  the  great  Battle  as  taking 
place  after  the  Millenium  —  John  and  Ezekiel  Harmonized — Different  Ex- 
positions compared. 

Verse  29.  IMMEDIATELY  AFTER  THE  TRIBULATION  OF  THOSE  DAYS,  SHALL  THE  SUN 

BE  DARKENED,  AND  THE  MOON  SHALL  NOT  GIVE  HER  LIGHT,  AND  THE  STARS  SHALL  FALL 
FROM  HEAVEN.  \Luke  '.  AND  UPON  THE  EARTH  DISTRESS  OF  NATIONS,  WITH  PERPLEXI- 
TY ;  THE  SEA  AND  THE  WaVES  ROARING ;  MEN'S  HEARTS  FAILING  THEM  FOR  FEAR,  AND 
FOR  LOOKING  AFTER  THOSE  THINGS  WHICH  ARE  COMING  ON  THE  EARTH  j]  AND  THE 
POWERS  OF  THE  HEAVENS  SHALL  BE  SHAKEN. 

HAVING  disposed  of  the  figurative  method  of  interpreting 
this  passage,  the  true  exposition  will  now  be  given.  Up  to 
this  point  there  has  not  yet  occurred  a  single  instance  of 
departure  from  a  literal  rendering  of  our  Lord's  language. 
And  the  inconsistency  and  ruinous  results  of  the  metaphorical 
exposition  of  this  passage,  have  been  sufficiently  shown. 
There  is  no  more  necessity  for  departing  from  the  literal  in 
this  passage  than  in  any  of  the  previous  portions.  And  it 
may  be  expedient  to  remark,  before  proceeding  further,  that 
as  there  has  been  no  departure  from  strict  orthodoxy  in  the 
previous  annotations,  so  there  will  be  none  in  the  comments 
on  this  and  the  subsequent  passages.  The  doctrines  of  the 
church,  as  set  forth  in  reliable  standards,  will  be  rigidly  main- 
tained throughout  the  Treatise. 

The  method  of  procedure  in  this  part  of  the  discussion 


HAEMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

will  be,  1.  To  show  what  is  meant  by  the  "  Tribulation  of 
those  days."  2.  What  is  meant  by  the  darkening  of  the  lu- 
minaries "immediately  after."  3.  "Who  will  be  the  subjects 
of  the  perplexity  and  distress,  on  the  occurrence  of  these 
wonders. 

I.  "The  Tribulation  of  those  days"  is  to  be  explained. 

1.  The  remark,  that  the  relative  pronoun  must  refer  to  its 
antecedent,  may  appear  so  trite  as  hardly  to  justify  its  repe- 
tition.    But  there  is  a  positive  propriety  in  refreshing  the 
memory  with  this  most  familiar  and  self-evident  truth.     The 
word  " those"  then,  must  refer  to  something  which  had  pre- 
viously been  the  subject  of  remark.     And  "  those  days"  must, 
consequently  refer  to  some  days  previously  described. 

2.  Now,  we  learn  from  the  passage  itself  that  the  days 
referred  to  were  days  of  "  tribulation ;  "  and  the  scope  of 
the  passage,  particularly  as  recorded  by  Luke,  shows  that  the 
days  of  tribulation  last  mentioned,  were  days  of  tribulation 
particularly  to  the  Jews.     "  For  there  shall  be  great  distress 
in  the  land,  and  wrath  upon  this  people."     It  is  evident,  then, 
that  the  "  tribulation  of  those  days"  means  the   period  of 
affliction  of  the  Jewish  land  and  people,  of  which  the  Lord 
had  previously  spoken. 

3.  There  is  one  other  remark  that  should  be  introduced  in 
this  connection :  where  two  things  are  referred  to  for  the  pur- 
pose of  distinguishing  them  from  each  other,  and  the  word 
these  is  used  in  connection  with  those,  then  the  relative  those 
does  not  refer  to  the  things  last  spoken  of,  but  to  things  fur- 
ther back  in  the  discourse.    Now,  in  the  case  before  us,  as  those 
is  not  used  to  distinguish  between  different  times  or  things  that 
have  been  previously  mentioned,  it  must  refer  to  the  described 
days  of  tribulation,  without  any  restriction  :   it  must  include 
all  that  had  been  mentioned  of  that  description  /   and  espe- 
cially such  as  was  so  prominent  or  remarkable  as  to  have 
particularly  impressed  the  memory  ;  —  otherwise,  the  antece- 
dent of  the  relative  would  be  so  uncertain  as  to  leave  the 
hearer  or  reader  in  doubt  respecting  the  teacher's  meaning. 
Such  being  the  relation  of  those  in  the  passage  before  us, 


232  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

there  can  be  no  propriety  in  the  supposition  that  it  does  not 
include  all  the  tribulation,  as  far  as  it  had  been  particularly 
described.  If  we  can  ascertain,  then,  how  long  the  tribula- 
tion mentioned  was  to  continue,  we  can  understand  with 
certainty  one  thing  in  relation  to  the  signs  that  were  to  follow 
"  immediately  after ; "  we  can  ascertain  a  time  before  which 
the  signs  should  not  transpire,  though  we  may  not  be  able  to 
define  how  soon  after.  For  as  the  signs  were  to  be  after  the 
tribulation  was  ended,  so  far  as  it  had  been  described ;  when 
we  hare  ascertained  how  long  those  days  were  to  continue, 
we  have  ascertained  a  period  during  which,  and  before  which 
there  can  be  no  propriety  in  looking  for  the  manifestation  of 
the  signs.  And  this  of  itself  should  be  deemed  conclusive 
against  any  assertion  or  conjecture  concerning  the  predicted 
signs,  if  they  happened  before,  or  during,  the  period  of  tribu- 
lation to  which  reference  is  had  by  the  relative  those. 

(4.)  One  thing  further;  —  in  defining  the  " tribulation  of 
those  days,"  we  are  not  to  rely  upon  the  assertions,  fancies, 
or  conjectures  of  men :  we  are  to  depend  on  the  Lord's  own 
declaration ;  not  on  what  he  did  not  say ;  not  on  what  he  may 
be  supposed  to  have  said  or  intended ;  but  on  what  he  did 
say.  And  now  the  inquiry  arises,  —  in  making  up  our  judg- 
ment of  what  the  Lord  intended,  shall  we  base  our  conclusion 
on  only  a  part  of  his  words,  or  shall  we  found  it  upon  a  con- 
sideration of  all  that  is  preserved  of  his  discourse  ?  There 
can  be  but  one  rational  answer ;  and  yet  who  would  suppose 
from  the  usual  method  of  settling  the  question  of  the  continu- 
ance of  those  days,  that  any  very  great  importance  was  to  be 
attached  to  an  omission  from  the  record  of  Matthew  and 
Mark,  which  is  supplied  only  by  Luke  ?  The  supplementary 
verse  has  not  only  been  usually  misplaced  in  the  gospel  Har- 
monies, but  it  has  been  almost  entirely  neglected  in  the  com- 
ments on  the  twenty-fourth  of  Matthew.  It  is  hardly  allowed 
a  respectable  reference.  To  use  an  expressive,  though  not  an 
elegant,  word,  the  supplementary  verse  from  Luke  has  been 
almost  ignored  out  of  existence,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  ex- 
position of  the  twenty-fourth  of  Matthew.  And  yet  our  Lord 
just  as  certainly  uttered  the  words  recorded  in  Luke  xxi.  24, 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  233 

as  the  words  in  Matt.  xxiv.  29,  or  any  other  verse  in  the 
chapter.  And  is  that  supplementary  verse  of  such  little 
signification  and  importance  as  to  be  of  no  influence  in  the 
exegesis  of  the  29th  verse  of  Matthew  ?  Does  it  not  bear 
upon  its  very  face  character  of  the  greatest  consequence  in 
determining  the  days  of  that  tribulation  f 

(5.)  In  relation  to  the  position  which  the  supplementary 
.  verse  occupies  in  the  accompanying  Harmony,  nothing  more 
need  to  be  said  ;  the  reader  is  requested  to  examine  again,  if 
necessary,  the  argument  on  that  point,  in  its  proper  place  in 
the  Exposition. 

Let  all  that  is  preserved  of  our  Lord's  discourse  be  brought 
together  in  its  proper  order,  and  then  it  will  not  be  difficult  to 
determine  the  question  concerning  how  long  the  tribulation 
referred  to  is  to  continue. 

(6.)  After  our  Lord  had  brought  down  his  description  of 
Jewish  suffering  to  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  and  had  given  al- 
so predictions  of  some  things  which  happened  during  the 
siege,  did  he  pause  then,  in  that  department  of  his  prophecy, 
and  'begin  to  speak  of  the  signs  in  the  heavens  aud  earth  ?  No  ; 

HE  CONTINUED   HIS  DISCOURSE    ON    THE    SAME  GENERAL  SUBJECT  OF 
TRIBULATION    DOWN   TO    THE    PERIOD  OF   THE  TERMINATION  OF  THE 

AFFLICTION,  and  THEN  he  proceeded  to  speak  of  the  signs  in  the 
heavens,  <&c. 

(7.)  The  connection  of  the  29th  verse  of  Matthew  will  ap- 
pear from  reading  the  record  of  Matthew  as  amended  by  the 
supplementary  verse  from  Luke.  And  it  will  appear  from 
the  very  face  of  the  words  that  the  tribulation  last  spoken  of 
previously  to  the  29th  verse  of  Matthew,  "began  at  the  siege, 
or  at  least  at  the  downfall,  of  the  city,  and  reaches  forward 
even  to  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  here  IMPLIED,  (but 
elsewhere  predicted,)  redemption  and  restoration  of  the  city  to 
the  Jews.  Matt.,  verse  28  :  "  For  wheresoever  the  carcass  is, 
there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together."  Luke,  verse  24 : 
"  And  they  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  shall  be 
led  away  captive  into  all  nations ;  and  Jerusalem  shall  be 
trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles 


234:  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

be  fulfilled."  Matt.,  verse  29 :  "  Immediately  after  the  trib- 
ulation of  those  days,  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,"  &c. 

(8.)  Now,  here  were  days  of  tribulation  just  as  really,  and 
just  as  distinctly  pointed  out,  as  the  tribulation  before,  and 
during,  the  siege.  And  these  days  of  tribulation  yet  con- 
tinue ;  and  are  to  continue  until  the  specified  time  of  termi- 
nation. And  there  ought  not  to  be  any  doubt  that  the  rela- 
tive those  in  the  verse  under  comment,  referred  to  this  very, 
this  long  continued,  period  of  affliction  ;  for,  whether  all  do, 
or  do  not,  admit  the  propriety  of  placing  the  supplementary 
verse  in  the  precise  location  that  it  sustains  in  this  Harmony ; 
yet  all  do,  and  must,  admit  that  it  belongs  somewhere  before 
the  verse  tinder  comment ;  and  it  must,  then,  of  course,  be 
included  in  that  period  of  tribulation  of  which  the  Lord  had 
been  speaking,  and  to  which  the  relative  those  referred. 

(9.)  Besides,  as  it  must  have  been  remarked  in  the  previous 
sections  of  the  discourse,  our  Lord  paid  the  strictest  regard  to 
the  chronological  succession  of  events,  as  they  affected  the 
same  class  of  persons ;  he  never  confuses  or  reverses  the  or- 
der of  things,  but  describes  them  as  if  they  were  passing  be- 
fore his  omniscient  eye  in  regular  panoramic  succession.  And, 
in  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  the  chronological  order  of  the 
events  described  in  the  verse  from  Luke,  not  only  required 
that  it  should  be  placed  before  the  verse  relating  to  the  signs 
in  heaven,  as  it  is  in  Luke  ;  but,  also,  that  it  should  be  placed 
after  the  verse  relating  to  the  siege  of  Jerusalem.  If  so, 
then  the  order  must  be  as  it  is  presented  in  this  Harmony ; 
and  the  "  tribulation  of  those  days  "  refers  as  specifically  to 
this  yet  continuing  period  of  affliction  as  to  anything  pre- 
vious. But  see  this  argument  more  fully  presented  in  the 
comment  on  the  passage  in  question. 

(10.)  Here,  then,  we  have  direct,  affirmative  proof  that  the 
signs  in  the  heavens  relate  to  something  else  than  the  down- 
fall of  the  Jewish  nation.  What  may  be  called  the  negative 
argument — though  it  implies  the  affirmative — has  been  more 
fully  exhibited  in  the  last  chapter.  But  now  we  have  the  af- 
firmative proof  that  the  signs  in  the  heavens  have  not  yet 


JftARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  235 

transpired,  because  the  time  for  them  has  not  yet  arrived. 
Those  days  of  tribulation,  as  Christ  himself  affirms,  are  to  in- 
clude all  that  has  been  foretold  In/  the  prophets.  Luke,  verse 
22 :  "  For  these  be  the  days  of  vengeance,  that  all  things 
which  are  written  may  be  fulfilled."  Now,  the  Lord  did  not, 
and  could  not,  mean,  that  all  things  foretold  were  to  happen 
at  any  one  particular  time  of  those  days,  because  the  prophe- 
cies speak  of  a  long  continued  succession,  age  after  age,  of 
tribulation.  He  undoubtedly  meant  to  apprise  them  that  the 
ages  of  affliction  had  begun,  and  they  were  to  expect  all  those 
terrible  judgments,  which  had  been  foretold. 

(11.)  But  the  same  prophets — particularly  Moses — whoso 
clearly  foretold  that  beginning  of  those  tribulations  which 
were  then  witnessed,  just  as  distinctly  predicted  the  continu- 
ance of  them  through  a  succession  of  ages  not  yet  termina- 
ted. The  predicted  days  of  Israel's  distress  and  desolation 
had  then  begun.  How  long  were  they  to  continue  ?  Answer : 
Until  "  all  things  that  are  written  may  be  fulfilled."  These 
were  the  days ;  Jerusalem's  destruction  was  but  one  of  the 
earlier  calamities ;  ages  of  tribulation  are  to  follow,  for  they 
have  been  foretold  by  the  prophets,  and  the  time  has  not  yet 
expired.* 

(12.)  In  concluding,  then,  that  the  days  of  tribulation  to 
which  the  relative  those  refers,  were  not  limited  by  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem,  we  are  sustained  by  these  several  considerations : 

First.   The  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  favor  it. 

Second.  Christ's  reference  to  those  prophecies,  and  his  dec- 
laration concerning  their  being  entirely  fulfilled  during  the 
"  days  of  vengeance  "  of  which  he  was  speaking,  should  be 
regarded  as  a  demonstration. 

Third.  The  connection  and  specific  teaching  of  the  verse 
from  Luke  ought  to  be  considered  a  positive  proof  of  the 
justness  of  the  conclusion. 

Fourth.  The  utter  insufficiency,  the  logical  absurdity,  the 
self-contradiction,  and  the  downright  variance  with  the  facts 
in  the  case,  which  characterize  the  attempts  to  apply  the  verse 

*  See  note  D,  in  the  Appendix. 


236  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

under  comment  to  the  occurrences  of  the  war  under  the  Ro- 
mans, ought  to  drive  any  man  in  disgust  from  such  an  exposi- 
tion, whether  he  finds  any  other  theory  of  inteipretation  or  not. 

Fifth.  The  prophecy  in  Joel  proves  that  the  time  is  yet  in 
the  future. 

/Sixth.  There  is  a  plain,  scriptural  exposition  of  the  passage. 

II.  We  are  next  to  consider  the  darkening  of  the  lumina- 
ries of  heaven,  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those 
days. 

(1.)  Those  who  have  fancied  that  this  darkening  took  place 
at,  before,  or  soon  after,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  have 
not  wandered  more  widely  from  the  truth,  than  those  who 
have  endeavored  to  find  the  fulfillment  of  the  prediction  in 
the  unusual  conditions  of  the  atmosphere,  or  in  the  remarka- 
ble revolutions  of  the  nations,  since  that  time.  All  have 
equally  overlooked  the  plain,  Scripture  teaching  that  it  will 
not  occur  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled,  and  Je- 
rusalem ceases  to  be  trodden  under  foot  by  the  Gentiles.  It 
is  really  surprising  that  those  who  profess  to  be  literalists  are 
so  prone  to  fix  upon  almost  anything  as  a  fulfillment  of  this 
prediction,  without  the  least  regard  for  the  fact,  that  it  will 
not  occur  until  the  Jews  again  become  possessed  of  Jerusa- 
lem, and,  as  Joel  describes  it,  the  nations  of  the  world  com- 
bine and  meet  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city  to  fight  with  the 
Jews. 

*  (2.)  If 'a  man  professes  to  disregaid  the  literal  teaching  of 
the  prophecies,  and  holds  himself  under  no  obligation  to  be- 
lieve what  the  Bible  says,  but  allows  his  imagination  full  play, 
to  conjecture  what  he  thinks  lies  hidden  under  a  veil  of  ap- 
parently literal  teaching  ;  —  in  such  case  there  is  nothing  to 
surprise  us  in  the  innumerable  and  unscriptural  fictions  which 
are  so  pleasing  to  human  fancy.  But  where  there  is  a  dispo- 
sition to  censure  the  fanciful  expositors,  and  a  claim  to  be- 
lieve what  the  Bible  says, — it  is  astonishing  that  such  errors 
as  have  been  rife  among  us  for  a  few  years  past,  in  relation 
to  the  second  advent,  should  be  countenanced  and  defended 
with  a  zeal  worthy  of  truth  itself. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  237 

(3.)  Tne  author  of  this  Exposition,  after  becoming  wearied, 
and,  in  some  instances,  disgusted,  with  the  examination  of  the 
common  figurative  expositions  of  this,  and  similar  passages, 
has  deliberately,  solemnly,  and  unchangeably  determined  to 
be  a  literalist  throughout  in  his  exegesis  of  the  imfigurative 
portions  of  the  Bible  ;  and  in  the  figurative  portions  he  de- 
termines to  be  guided  by  what  is,  in  connection,  or  elsewhere, 
taught  in  literal  prose.  He  understands  precisely  what  he 
means  in  this  declaration,  and  holds  himself  in  readiness  to 
meet  the  consequences  of  abiding  by  it.  One  thing  is  cer- 
tain,—  if  he  errs  in  this  matter,  he  will  have  this  to  console 
him,  that  he  honestly  understood  God  to  mean  what  he  was 
pleased  to  reveal. 

(4.)  In  giving  a  philosophical  account  of  the  origin  and 
commonness  of  the  metaphorical  use  of  language,  which,  ap- 
plied literally,  would  naturally  belong  to  the  scenes  of  the 
closing  up  of  this  world's  probation, — it  would  be  necessary 
to  suppose  that  the  people  were  acquainted,  and,  to  some  ex- 
tent, familiar  with,  the  great  revelation  that  the  world  is  des- 
tined to  be  renewed  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  And  as 
there  is  nothing  in  nature  that  teaches  this  doctrine,  we  must 
suppose  that  it  was  made  originally,  and  renewed  occasional- 
ly, by  revelation  from  heaven. 

(5.)  But  where  are  those  intimations  and  revelations  of  this 
great  truth  which  the  church  in  all  ages  has  fixed  upon  as 
principal  stones  in  the  foundation  of  orthodoxy  ? 

They  must  be  somewhere  in  the  writings  of  the  prophets, 
if  the  church  has  spoken,  in  this  matter,  "  according  to  the 
oracles  of  God."  But  where  are  those  revelations  of  this 
truth,  if  our  commentators  may  explain  every  thing  of  this 
kind  in  a  figurative  manner  ?  Where  is  there  one  text  which 
they  admit  to  be  purely  and  independently  literal  ?  If  the 
prophecy  of  Joel  does  not  contain  such  a  revelation,  IT  is  NOT 
TO  BE  FOUND  IN  THE  (>LD*TESTAMENT !  And  if  the  text  under 
comment  does  not  contain  such  a  revelation,  rr  is  NOT  TO  BE 

FOUND  IN  THE  'N'EW  TESTAMENT  ! 

(6.)  There  is  just  this  one  remark  further,  at  the  present  posi- 
tion in  the  argument :  The  Bible  speaks  to  the  common 


238  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

— not  with  strict  philosophic  precision,  as  things  would  be 
treated  in  a  scientific  discourse, — but  as  things  appear  to  the 
general  mind.  In  other  words,  the  Bible  speaks,  as  we  con- 
verse and  preach,  in  the  ordinary  language  of  our  hearers, 
and  with  a  designed  adaptation  to  the  common  capacity. 
Hence,  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and  the  falling 
of  the  stars,  are  to  be  understood  as  so  appearing  to  those 
who  may  be  witnesses  of  the  awful  events.  How  the  phe- 
nomena may  be  explained  scientifically,  forms  no  part  of  the 
present  design.  "When  men  have  given  a  satifactory  scientific 
explanation  of  the  sun  and  moon  standing  still  in  the  days  of 
Joshua,  or  of  the  sun  being  darkened  three  hours  at  the  cru- 
cifixion of  Christ,  then  it  will  be  time  for  the  author  to  go 
beyond  the  facts  of  revelation,  and  attempt  the  philosophic 
solution  of  the  mysteries  which  are  hidden  with  God. 

(7.)  If  the  prophets  ever  taught  that  Israel  and  Judah 
should  be  scattered  among  the  nations  ;  if  they  ever  foretold 
the  downfall  of  their  metropolis,  and  the  possession  of  their 
land  by  others  ;  if  they  ever  predicted  the  ultimate  triumph 
of  Messiah's  kingdom  ;  they  have  just  as  clearly  taught  that 
the  present  tribulation  and  dispersion  of  the  children  of  Israel 
should  finally  be  brought  to  a  termination,  and  they  again 
brought  back  to  the  everlasting  possession  of  their  own  land. 
The  predictions  of  the  restoration  and  conversion  are  so  defi- 
nite, so  full,  so  frequent,  and  so  connected  with  other  matters 
that  we  know  to  be  literal,  that  we  cannot  consistently  deny 
J:he  latter  without  wholly  denying  the  former.  Our  commen- 
tators, our  hymnologists,  our  most  influential  preachers  of  all 
evangelical  churches,  are  constrained  to  admit  the  doctrine  of 
Israel's  future  conversion  and  restoration  ;  and  it  is  generally 
admitted  that  St.  Paul  argued  the  matter  by  appealing  to  the 
prophecies. 

(8.)  Now,  there  is  not,  probably,  a  plainer  prediction  of 
these  things  than  in  the  second  and  third  chapters  of  Joel,  al- 
though the  same  things  are  taught  elsewhere  with  a  fullness 
and  a  definiteness  that  remove  all  reasonable  occasion  of  mis- 
interpretation in  respect  to  the  principal  events.  And  the 
divines  who  see  fit  to  refer  the  prophecy  of  Joel  to  the  down- 


HAEMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  239 

fall  of  the  Jewish  nation,  are  compelled  to  admit  that,  prima- 
rily or  secondarily,  suggestively  or  typically,  it  refers  also  to 
the  closing  up  of  the  present  dispensation  of  things.  The 
truth  of  these  observations  will  be  admitted  by  all  who  have 
examined  the  subject. 

(9.)  Before  proceeding  to  apply  these  extended  remarks  to 
the  exposition  of  the  verse  under  comment,  the  reader  is  de- 
sired particularly  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  preceding  ar- 
gument on  the  identity  of  the  time  and  events  described  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  second  chapter  of  Joel  and  the  whole  of 
the  third  chapter.  He  will  then  perceive  that  the  prophet 
has  gone  over  precisely  the  same  period  of  time  that  is  else- 
where described  as  the  times,  the  days,  or  the  age,  of  the  Mes- 
siah ;  a  period  that  begins  with  the  setting  up  of  the  king- 
dom, and  extending  to  the  complete  establishment  of  it,  either 
by  the  conversion  or  destruction  of  the  nations.  It  is  a  peri- 
od which  opens  with  an  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  all 
flesh  ;  not  all  flesh  in  extent,  as  including  all  people;  but  all 
flesh  in  variety  of  condition,  as  excluding  none.  But  the 
prophecy  was  not  to  be  limited  to  that  first  outpouring,  and 
to  that  first  ingathering,  as  of  the  first  fruits  of  the  general 
harvest.  The  period  still  continues  ;  and  we  of  this  genera- 
tion may  claim  the  same  promise,  and  so  may  all  generations 
until  the  great  day  of  the  Lord. 

(10.)  "Before  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  come," 
which  will  hereafter  be  explained,  the  sun  shall  be  darkened, 
and  the  moon  turned  to  blood,  and  the  stars  withdraw  their  • 
shining.  The  time  of  this  change  in  the  luminaries  of  heaven 
is  clearly  indicated  both  by  Christ  and  by  the  prophet  Joel. 
It  will  be  (Joel  iii.  1)  at  that  period  of  time  when  God  "  shall 
bring  again  the  captivity  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem."  That  is, 
as  has  already  been  shown  by  numerous  quotations  to  the  same 
effect,  at  the  period  when  "  God  shall  set  his  hand  the  second 
time  to  recover  the  remnant  of  his  people  which  shall  be  left." 
Isa.  xi.  11.  "  For,  lo,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I 
will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  my  people  Israel  and  Judah, 
eaith  the  Lord :  and  I  will  cause  them  to  return  to  the  land 


24:0  HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION. 

that  I  gave  to  their  fathers,  and  they  shall  possess  it."  Jere- 
miah, xxx.  3. 

(11.)  It  appears,  however,  that  the  Jews  will  not  be  permit- 
ted to  possess  their  own  land  without  a  great  conflict  with  the 
Gentile  nations.  (Joel  iii.  2.)  "  I  will  also  gather  all  nations, 
and  will  bring  them  down  into  the  valley  of  JeJioshaphat, 
[Hebrew — valley  of  the  judgment  of  God^\  and  will  plead 
with  them  there  for  my  people  and  for  my  heritage,  Israel, 
whom  they  have  scattered  among  the  nations,  and  parted  my 
land."  Yerse  7.  "  Behold,  I  will  raise  them  out  of  the  place 
whither  ye  have  sold  them,  and  will  return  you  recompense 
upon  your  own  head."  After  a  description  of  the  preparation 
for  the  general  war,  and  the  gathering  of  the  nations  in  the 
valley  of  God's  judgment,  called  also  the  "  valley  of  decision" 
God  says,  (verse  12,)  "  For  there  will  I  sit  to  judge  all  the  hea- 
then round  about."  Then  comes  the  description  of  the  mighty 
gathering  :  (Yerse  14,)  "  Multitudes,  multitudes  in  the  valley 
of  decision :  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  near  in  the  valley  of 
decision." 

(12.)  And  now  occurs  the  darkening  of  the  luminaries  of 
heaven.  Multitudes  upon  multitudes  have  been  gathered 
from  "  all  nations"  into  the  judgment  valley  —  "  the  valley  of 
decision."  They  come  with  weapons  of  war  to  fight  against 
God's  "  heritage,  Israel ;"  and  God  is  going  to  "  plead  with 
them  there  for  his  people."  "  The  harvest  is  ripe ;"  "  the  press 
is  full ;  the  fats  overflow."  The  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  now 
>fulfilled.  God  now  says,  "  For  there  [in  the  valley  of  decis- 
ion] will  I  sit  to  judge  all  the  heathen  round  about."  The 
times  of  affliction  for  Israel  are  now  ended  :  "  the  tribulation 
of  those  days"  is  over ;  God  is  now  going  to  recompense  the 
heathen  of  all  nations  upon  their  own  head,  as  he  pleads 
with  them  in  behalf  of  his  people. 

(13.)  But  how  is  it  done  ?  It  is  done  as  God  has  done  be- 
fore :  nature,  with  all  its  elements,  is  made  to  do  God's  battle- 
service.  The  first  thing  is  to  involve  them  in  utter  darkness, 
as  he  once  did  the  Egyptians,  and  as  was  done  also  at  the 
crucifixion.  Yerse  15.  "The  sun  and  the  moon  shall  be 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  241 

darkened,  and  the  stars  shall  withdraw  their  shining."  The 
moon  will  seem  to  turn  to  blood,  and  the  stars  shall  appear 
to  fall  from  heaven.  God's  people  shall  now  see,  as  their  fa- 
thers did,  the  terrible  interposition  of  Jehovah  in  their  be- 
half; and  the  multitudes  assembled  against  them  shall  be  met 
and  vanquished  by  the  Almighty  himself,  as  lesser  armies  had 
been  before. 

(14.)  Yerse  16.  "  The  Lord  shall  also  roar  out  of  Zion,  and 
utter  his  voice  from  Jerusalem ;  and  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  shall  shake."  God  will  roar  against  them  with  that 
dreadful  voice  that  terrified  the  Israelites  around  Mount  Si- 
nai. See  Exodus  xix.  16-20.  "  There  were  thunderings,  and 
lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud  upon  the  mount,  and  the  voice 
of  the  trumpet  exceeding  loud ;  so  that  all  the  people  that 
were  in  the  camp  trembled."  Some  such  terrible  interposi- 
tion of  God  will  now  be  seen  in  behalf  of  his  people ;  and 
the  voice  and  roar  that  shake  the  earth  and  heaven,  will  be 
attended  by  commotions  in  the  elements  around :  "  the  sea 
and  the  waves  roaring."  The  earth,  the  sea,  the  sky,  will  be 
terribly  affected ;  and  the  whole  demonstration  will  be  against 
the  multitudes  upon  multitudes  in  the  valley  of  judgment. 
The  sun  as  in  sackcloth,  the  moon  crimsoned,  the  falling  and 
extinguished  stars,  the  roar  and  voice  of  God  from  Jerusalem 
that  makes  the  earth  and  heaven  tremble,  and  the  waves  of 
the  sea  roaring  with  the  horrible  commotion  ;  —  all  of  these 
things  shall  bring  about  what  the  Saviour  next  describes : 
Luke,  [And  upon  the  earth  distress  of  nations,  with  perplexi- 
ty j  the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring  ;  men's  hearts  failing  them 
for  fear,  and  for  looking  after  those  things  which  are  coming 
on  the  earth  ;  for  the  powers  of  heaven  shall  he  shakenJ] 

(15.)  This  is  God's  method  of  pleading  with  the  nations  in 
behalf  of  his  heritage  Israel.  For,  (Joel  iii.  16,)  in  the  midst 
of  this  terrible  demonstration  against  the  assembled  nations, 
"  The  Lord  will  be  the  hope  of  his  people,  and  the  strength 
of  the  children  of  Israel."  It  will  be  the  set  time  to  favor 
Zion.  The  God  who  did  wonders  in  Egypt,  at  the  Bed  Sea, 
at  Sinai,  at  Gibeon,  and  at  other  times  when  he  vanauished 
Israel's  enemies  ;  the  God  who  had  seemed  to  cast  away  his 
16 


242  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

people  whom  he  foreknew,  will  at  this  time  return  to  save  his 
people,  and  to  accomplish  all  the  blessings  that  were  prom- 
ised to  them  in  the  latter  days,  when  they  should  return  to 
the  Lord.  This  is  undoubtedly  the  great  battle  between  Gog 
and  Magog  and  the  children  of  Israel,  which  is  so  graphically 
described  in  Ezekiel,  chapters  xxxviii.  and  xxxix.,  which  the 
reader  is  earnestly  desired  now  to  read. 

(16.)  The  correspondency  between  our  Lord's  predictions 
and  those  of  the  Old  Testament,  is  wonderful.  We  find  a  cor- 
respondency, first,  in  the  fact  that  the  things  predicted  by  him 
in  the  passage  now  under  comment,  occur  in  the  exact  order 
which  is  observable  in  the  prophets ;  namely,  "  Immediately 
after  the  tribulation  of  those  days,"  which  Moses  as  well  as  him- 
self had  distinctly  predicted  as  continuing  until  the  final  restora- 
tion of  Israel  to  their  own  land.  (Our  Lord's  prediction  of  this 
will  hereafter  be  noticed.)  Second.  There  is  a  corresponden- 
cy in  the  signs  themselves  ;  only  our  Lord  is  more  particular 
in  describing  the  effect  upon  the  nations.  Thirdly.  As  will 
immediately  be  shown,  the  coming  of  the  Lord  in  the  midst 
of  this  darkness,  and  elemental  commotion,  and  general  dis- 
tress of  the  nations  to  redeem  his  elect,  (Luke,  verse  28,)  has  a 
perfect  correspondency  with  the  prophets*  declaration,  that  it 
should  be  to  redeem  his  people,  as  will  be  found  by  reading 
Joel  and  the  parallel  prophecies. 

(1Y.)  It  is  not  strictly  necessary  to  the  exposition,  that  the 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  should  further  occupy  our 
attention  in  this  connection ;  but  still,  in  order  to  throw  addi- 
tional light  on  the  time  when  these  wonders  in  heaven  and 
earth  shall  be  exhibited,  in  behalf  of  God's  heritage,  and,  of 
course,  against  Israel's  enemies ;  —  and  especially  to  show  still 
further  the  impropriety  of  applying  the  prophecy  in  Joel  to 
the  downfall  of  the  Jewish  nation  ;  —  for  these  reasons,  and 
others  that  might  be  mentioned,  the  reader's  attention  may 
be  detained  for  a  little  for  the  purpose  of  considering  one  of 
the  parallel  prophecies  to  which  reference  has  already  been 
made.  Our  Saviour  and  Joel  seem  to  have  had  distinctly  in 
view  the  terrible  judgments  of  God  upon  the  assembled  na- 
tions of  Israel's  enemies,  at  the  closing  up  of  the  present  dis- 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  243 

pensation  of  things.  In  order  to  exhibit  this  parallelism  more 
distinctly,  attention  will  be  directed  to  several  things  which 
strikingly  identify  the  time  and  the  occasion  of  the  divine 
manifestation  in  behalf  of  the  ancient  covenant  people. 

(18.)  The  first  thing  we  notice  from  our  Saviour's  predic- 
tion is,  that  it  should  NOT  be  during  the  continuance  of  the 
days  of  the  tribulation  of  which  he  had  been  speaking.  And 
it  is  undeniable  that  he  had  spoken  of  their  tribulation  in  all 
its  days  of  continuance  to  the  time  when  Jerusalem  should  be 
trodden  down  by  the  Gentiles  no  longer  ;  when  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles  should  be  fulfilled.  Our  Lord  had  declared  in 
so  many  words  that  the  days  of  calamity,  and  of  Jerusalem's 
oppression,  should  continue  so  long,  and  until  that  time.  And 
then  he  added,  "  Immediately  AFTER  the  tribulation  of  those 
days,  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,"  &c.  Now  this  is  precisely 
what  Joel  teaches,  as  has  been  sufficiently  shown  in  the  pre- 
ceding sections ;  it  should  be  at  the  time  when  the  Lord  shall 
"  bring  again  the  captivity  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem ; "  and 
when  he  should  assemble  all  nations  in  the  "valley  of  judg- 
ment," or  "  decision,"  at  the  time  when  they  should  gather 
to  fight  against  the  Jews.  And  this  is  evidently  parallel  with 
the  prophecy  of  the  gathering  of  Gog  and  Magog,  at  the  same 
time,  and  for  the  same  purpose. 

-  (19.)  In  the  thirty-fifth  and  thirty-sixth  of  Ezekiel  we  have 
general,  but  very  distinct,  declarations  of  God's  purpose  in 
respect  to  his  ancient  heritage.  In  the  thirty-seventh  we  have 
the  matter  exhibited  in  the  form  of  a  vision  ;  and  accompa- 
nied ~by  God's  own  explanation  of  what  the  vision  signified  ; 
Then  in  the  thirty-eighth  and  thirty-ninth  chapters,  we  have 
a  particular  account  of  the  gathering  of  the  nations  against 
the  Jews,  and  God's  terrible  interposition  in  behalf  of  his 
people,  by  the  judgments  upon  their  enemies.  In  the  thirty- 
eighth  we  have  God's  address  to  Israel's  enemies,  as  we  have 
also  in  Joel  iii.  Yerse  8.  "  After  many  days  thou  [Israel's 
enemies]  shall  be  visited :  in  the  latter  years  thou  should  come 
into  the  land  that  is  brought  back  from  the  sword,  and  is 
gathered  out  of  many  people,  against  the  mountains  of  Israel, 
which  have  been  always  waste :  but  is  brought  forth  out  of 


24:4:  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

the  nations,  and  they  shall  dwell  safely  all  of  them.  9.  Thou 
shalt  ascend  and  come  like  a  storm ;  thou  shalt  be  like  a  cloud 
to  cover  the  land ;  thou,  and  all  thy  bands,  and  many  people 
with  thee.  15.  And  thou  shalt  come  from  thy  place  out  of 
the  north  parts,  thou,  and  many  people  with  thee,  all  of  them 
riding  upon  horses,  a  great  company  and  a  mighty  army.  16. 
And  thou  shalt  come  up  against  my  people  Israel,  as  a  cloud 
to  cover  the  land ;  it  shall  be  in  the  latter  days  /  and  I  will 
bring  thee  against  my  land,  that  the  heathen  may  know  me, 
when  I  shall  be  sanctified  in  thee,  O  Gog,  before  their  eyes. 
IT.  Thussaith  the  Lord  God;  Art  thou  he  of  whom  I  have  spo- 
ken in  old  time,  by  my  servants  the  prophets  of  Israel,  which 
prophesied  in  those  days  many  years,  that  I  would  bring  thee 
against  them  ?  18.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  at  the  same 
time  when  Gog  shall  come  against  the  land  of  Israel,  saith 
the  Lord  God,  that  my  fury  shall  come  up  in  my  face.  19. 
For  in  my  jealousy,  and  in  the  fire  of  my  wrath,  have  I  spo- 
ken. Surely  in  that  day  there  shall  be  a  great  shaking  in  the 
land  of  Israel.  20.  So  that  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and  the  fowls 
of  the  heaven,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  all  creeping 
things  that  creep  upon  the  earth,  and  all  the  men  that  are  up- 
on the  face  of  the  earth,  shall  shake  at  my  presence,  and  the 
mountains  shall  be  thrown  down,  and  the  steep  places  shall 
fall,  and  every  wall  shall  fall  to  the  ground.  21.  And  I  will 
call  for  a  sword  against  him  throughout  all  my  mountains, 
saith  the  Lord  God :  every  man's  sword  shall  be  against  his 
brother.  22.  And  I  will  plead  against  him  with  pestilence 
and  with  blood;  and  I  will  rain  upon  him,  and  upon  his  bands, 
and  upon  the  many  people  that  are  with  him,  mi  overflowing 
rain,  and  great  hail-stones,  fire  and  brimstone.  23.  Thus 
will  I  magnify  myself,  and  sanctify  myself;  and  I  will  be 
known  in  the  eyes  of  many  nations,  and  they  shall  know  that 
I  am  the  Lord." 

(20.)  Now  who  can  fail  to  perceive  here  a  parallel  with  the 
prophecy  of  Joel  ?  It  relates  to  the  same  time  of  gathering 
in  the  captivity  of  the  Jews.  It  speaks  of  the  same  gather- 
ing of  the  multitudes  of  their  enemies  into  the  land  to  fight 
against  Israel.  It  alludes  to  the  same  terrible  shaking  of  earth, 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  245 

eeay  and  heaven,  when  God  interferes  in  behalf  of  his  heritage 
Israel.  In  both  places  this  is  spoken  of  as  God's  pleading  with 
them  then  in  behalf  of  Israel.  In  both  places  it  represents 
the  result  as  a  total  overthrow  of  Israel's  enemies,  and  a  per- 
fect and  permanent  establishment  of  Israel  in  their  own  coun- 
try. And  what  is  worthy  of  especial  notice,  in  the  prophecy 
by  Ezekiel  (xxxviii.  IT,)  this  same  gathering  and  judgment  of 
the  heathen,  and  Israel's  redemption,  are  declared  to  have 
been  spoken  of  by  the  prophets  of  a  former  period.  And 
we  should  observe  that  Joel  prophesied  before  Ezekiel. 

(21.)  "  In  those  days,  and  at  that  time,"  then,  according  to 
the  prophets,  will  occur  this  terrible  judgment  that  shall  dark- 
en the  heavens  and  convulse  the  earth  and  sea.  Then  will 
be  the  judgment  and  punishment  of  the  nations,  and  the  re- 
demption of  God's  "  heritage  Israel,"  that  they  may  dwell 
forevermore  in  their  own  land  in  peace  and  purity.  This, 
then,  as  our  Lord  himself  declared,  is  only  the  fulfillment 
of  the  things  that  have  been  written.  And  the  tribula- 
tion that  was  experienced  by  the  Jews  during  the  Roman 
war,  was  only  the  beginning  of  the  sorrows  that  have  been 
predicted,  and  that  shall  continue  until  all  that  has  been  fore- 
told shall  be  accomplished.  And  "immediately  after  the 
tribulation  of  those  days,"  shall  the  wonders  in  heaven, 
and  the  commotions  among  nations  occur,  and  the  divine 
glory  will  be  manifested  in  the  judgments  which  shall  de- 
stroy the  ungodly. 

(22.)  There  is  one  specific  objection  that  may  be  urged 
against  this  conclusion  respecting  the  time  of  the  fulfillment 
of  this  part  of  the  prediction :  it  is  this :  John,  in  Revelation 
xx.  8,  represents  the  battle  of  Gog  and  Magog  as  occurring 
after  the  Millenium  ;  whereas,  Ezekiel  clearly  represents  it 
as  occurring  at  the  conclusion  of  the  present  days  of  Israel's 
tribulation,  which  we  cannot  suppose  will  last  during  the 
thousand  years  of  holiness  and  peace. 

(23.)  The  reply  to  this  objection  is  very  easy,  and  ought  to 
be  deemed  satisfactory. 

In  the  first  place,  nothing  would  be  gained  to  either  side  of 
this  controversy,  by  supposing  that  Ezekiel  and  John  contra- 


246  HABMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

dieted  each  other.  It  cannot  be  deemed  admissible  that  there 
is  any  such  contradiction  in  the  Bible. 

In  the  second  place,  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  is  so  clearly 
parallel  with  many  others,  as  it  respects  the  time  of  the  ful- 
fillment, that  there  is  no  room  for  a  doubt  of  its  being  at  the 
close  of  the  present  period  of  Israel's  dispersion.  And  if  one 
prophet  must  be  explained  by  another,  the  one  ought  to  be 
explained  by  the  many  /  the  less  clear  and  literal,  by  those 
that  are  more  easily  understood.  In  the  third  place,  and  par- 
ticularly Ezekiel  and  John  are  in  the  most  delightful  harmo- 
ny ;  and  it  is  precisely  the  character  of  the  harmony  which 
the  book  of  Revelation  so  conspicuously  displays  in  its  rela- 
tions to  the  other  parts  of  the  prophetic  Scriptures. 

This  is  the  agreement  between  John  and  Ezekiel :  what 
Ezekiel  represents  literally,  as  the  closing  up  of  the  ante-mil- 
lennial dispensation,  John  uses  symbolically  to  illustrate  the 
closing  up  of  the  Millennium  itself.  And  this  is  precisely  the 
leading  characteristic  of  this  part  of  John's  writings :  He 
uses  the  prophecies  and  histories  of  the  literal  as  symbols  to 
represent  something  else,  and  similar  events  of  other  times. 
Prophecies  and  histories  respecting  literal  Jerusalem,  he  uses 
symbolically  to  describe  the  church  in  its  future  glory.  Proph- 
ecies and  histories  which  were  applicable  literally  only  to 
Babylon  on  the  Euphrates,  he  uses  symbolically  to  illustrate 
the  Papal  abomination.  Rome  literal,  in  its  situation,  domi- 
nation and  character,  is  made  a  symbol  of  Rome  spiritual. 
Now  this  character  of  John's  Revelation  is  sufficiently  evi- 
dent ;  and  no  one  ever  thought  of  stumbling,  because  he  could 
not  harmonize  the  chronology  between  John's  symbolical  Je- 
rusalem, Babylon,  and  Rome,  and  the  literal  cities  whose 
characters  and  destinies  furnished  him  with  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal actors  in  his  symbolical  drama.  And  why  need  we. 
stumble  because  his  symbolical  Gog  and  Magog  do  not  como 
upon  the  stage  just  when  the  literal  did.*  Why  does  he  us^ 
Jerusalem,  Babylon,  Rome,  and  other  things  to  illustrate  his 
drama?  Because  such  things  had  existed  literally  and  had 

*See  Note  E. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  24:7 

become  subjects  of  prophetic  and  historic  knowledge  ;  dnd, 
therefore,  in  this  way,  by  using  them,  he  could  convey  a  vol- 
ume of  meaning  in  a  single  verse. 

(25.)  And,  if  any  object,that  he  has  used  as  a  symbol  something 
of  which  we  are  yet  in  doubt, — something  which  is  still  future 
to  us, — the  answer  is  ready :  He  wrote  this  part  of  his  Rev- 
elation for  the  special  admonition  of  those  who  will  survive 
during  the  Millennium,  and  will  be  in  danger  at  the  close  of 
that  period  of  being  deceived  by  the  devil,  who  will  then  for  a 
little  season  be  released  from  prison.  And  at  that  time,  the 
history  of  Gog  and  Magog  will  be  as  well  understood  as  is 
now  the  history  of  Babylon  or  Rome.  And  we  might  as  well 
suppose  that  there  will  be  no  literal  resurrection,  because  it  is 
sometimes  used  symbolically,  as  in  Ezek.  xxxvii., — or  that 
there  was  no  literal  Jerusalem,  because  it  was  used  symboli- 
cally,— as  to  suppose  there  will  be  no  Gog  and  Magog  at  the 
close  of  the  present  dispensation,  because  they  are  used  sym- 
bolically to  illustrate  the  close  of  the  Millennium.  The  figu- 
rative proves,  rather  than  disproves,  the  literal. 

(26.)  Two  things  are  here  worthy  of  remembrance  :  First 
That  the  gathering  of  the  Jews,  and  the  great  and  decisive  de- 
struction of  their  enemies,  are  so  evidently  taught  in  the  proph- 
ecies, that  almost  all  divines  are  constrained  to  admit  the  literal 
fulfillment  of,  at  least,  the  principal  things  predicted.  It  is 
to  be  regretted,  however,  that  so  few  have  spoken  out  dis- 
tinctly concerning  those  things  which  they  are  constrained  to 
admit.  Another  thing  to  be  remembered  is, — that  the  lan- 
guage of  our  Saviour,  in  the  part  of  his  discourse  now  under 
notice,  is  generally  admitted  to  be  applicable  to  the  very  time 
to  which  it  is  referred  in  this  Exposition.  Even  those  who 
are  most  confident  in  their  application  of  the  whole  to  Jewish 
affairs,  admit  that  it  may  refer  to  the  day  of  Judgment. 

(27.)  Even  Dr.  Scott,  after  referring  it  specifically  to  Jew- 
ish matters,  closes  thus  :  "  But  the  whole  passage  will  have 
a  more  literal  and  far  more  august  accomplishment,  at  the  day 
of  judgment."  Dr.  Clarke,  who  seems  unwilling  to  allow  any 
part  of  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  to  refer  to  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, nevertheless  concedes  that  the  1st  verse  of  the  twenty- 


248  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

fifth  chapter  refers  to  the  day  of  judgment,  in  connection  with 
a  reference  to  Jewish  and  Roman  affairs.  Yet  our  Lord  him- 
self limits  the  application  of  the  twenty -fifth  chapter  to  the 
times  described  in,  at  least,  the  closing  part  of  the  twenty- 
fourth,  by  introducing  his  parable  by  a  "  Then"  which  ought 
to  be  considered  sufficiently  specific  in  defining  the  time.  Dr. 
Benson  acknowledges  that  our  Lord  spoke  of  both  events  at 
the  same  time,  one  being  considered  as  a  type  of  the  other. 
Dr.  Coke  expresses  himself  in  about  the  same  manner.  Bur- 
kitt  admits  that  some  part  of  the  chapter  may  refer  to  the  day  of 
judgment.  Watson  considers  it  a  clear  example  of  double 
prophecy ;  one  event  illustrating  the  other.  Barnes  expresses 
the  same  conviction.  Wesley  is  positive  that  our  Lord  here 
begins  to  speak  of  his  coming  to  judge  the  world.  Dr.  Rob- 
inson admits  that  from  verse  43,  the  discourse  refers  to  the 
day  of  judgment. 

(28.)  It  appears,  then,  from  the  admission  of  all,  or  nearly 
all,  of  the  divines  most  commonly  in  use  in  this  country,  that 
at  some  place  or  other  in  this  discourse,  and  in  some  form  or 
other,  the  Lord  did  speak  of  his  second  coming  to  judge  the 
world.  Why  not,  then,  suppose  that  he  began  just  where  it 
came  in  chronological  order,  and  in  accordancy  with  the  teach- 
ing of  the  prophets,  and  introduced  the  subject  in  close  sub- 
sequent connection  with  the  termination  of  the  tribulation  of 
God's  ancient  people.  If  the  darkening  of  the  luminaries  of 
heaven  is  to  be  one  of  the  signs  of  the  judgment,  where  is  it 
taught,  if  not  in  Joel  and  in  Matthew  ?  Where  do  our  stan- 
dard hymnologists  and  preachers  obtain  authority  to  promul- 
gate such  views  to  the  church,  if  not  from  Joel  and  from 
Christ?  Surely  they  will  not  refer  to  similar  expressions, 
where  there  is  in  connection  a  specific  application  of  the  lan- 
guage to  other  events.  They  must  go  to  Joel  and  to  Christ. 
And,  if  so,  why  not  suppose  that  Christ  and  the  prophet  re- 
ferred specifically  to  the  great  event  ? 

(29.)  The  only  difference  between  this  Exposition  and  most 
others,  on  this  point  is,  that  here  the  application  is  decided, 
literal,  definite  ;  and,  in  the  others,  the  application  is  rather 
to  be  inferred —  a  sort  of  may  be,  instead  of  must  be.  And 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  249 

then  the  application  usually  comes  rather  in  the  form  of  a 
concession,  as  if  it  was  with  reluctance,  rather  than  with  clear, 
definite  perception  of  the  necessity  of  such  application.  And 
there  is  usually  a  loading  upon  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews  just 
as  much  as  can  possibly  be  made  to  take  that  direction,  and 
the  rest  is  thought  to  refer  to  the  judgment.  To  this  general 
state  of  things,  two  noble  exceptions  have  come  under  the 
writer's  notice  :  they  are  Wesley's  Notes,*  and  Henry's  Expo- 
sition. Doubtless  there  are  some  others,  but  the  writer  has 
not  had  the  good  fortune  to  obtain  them. 


CHAPTER    X. 

Principal  subject  — THE  COMING  OF  CHRIST.     EXAMINATION  OF 

SEVERAL   RELEVANT   SUBJECTS. 

How  the  Subject  is  Introduced  —  Erroneous  Interpretations — Two  Forms  of 
the  Interpretation — "Whitby's — Newton's — The  first  Reviewed — Logic  ver- 
sus History  —  The  second  Reviewed  —  Injurious  Tendencies  —  Animadver- 
sions— Objection  founded  on  Scripture  Precedents — Great  Mistake — Impor- 
tant Difference — Old  Testament  Metaphors — Objection  founded  on  Christ's 
Declaration  to  the  High  Priests,  Matt.  xxvi.  64 — Objection  founded  on 
Christ's  remark  concerning  John,  ch.  xxi.  22 —  How  difficult  to  defend  Er- 
ror—  Objection  founded  on  Christ's  Declaration  that  some  should  not  die 
till  they  had  seen  him  coming  in  his  kingdom,  Matt.  xvi.  2*7  —  True  Inter- 
pretation— Dissimilarity  between  that  Passage  and  the  one  under  comment 
— How  David  Typified  Christ — Two  Kingdoms,  or  the  same  in  two  different 
Dispensations. 

Verse  30.   AND  THEN  SHALL  APPEAR  THE  SIGN  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  IN  HEAVEN  : 

AND  THEN  SHALL  ALL  THE  TRIBES  OF  THE  EARTH  MOURN,  AND  THEY  SHALL  SEE  THE  SON 
OF  MAN  COMING  IN  THE  CLOUDS  OF  HEAVEN,  WITH  POWER  AND  GREAT  GLORY. 

HEBE  we  have  the  coming  of  Christ  described,  both  in  re- 
spect to  the  manner,  and  with  respect  to  its  chronological 
order.  The  word  then  sufficiently  shows  its  connection  with 

*  More  recent  and  thorough  examination  of  Wesley's  Notes  compells  the  re- 
luctant admission,  that,  after  all,  he  was  not  as  free  from  defect  in  this  mat- 


S50  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

the  scenes  described  in  the  preceding  verse.  The  darkening 
of  the  luminaries  would  first  occur,  succeeded  immediately 
L -j  the  dreadful  commotions  on  the  earth,  and  the  distress  and 
terror  of  the  nations,  as  has  already  been  shown  in  the  comment 
on  the  29th  verse.  The  reference  to  the  second  advent  in  the 
27th  verse  has  been  explained  in  its  appropriate  place,  and 
shown  to  be  a  merely  parenthetic  allusion  to  it,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  guarding  the  disciples  more  perfectly  against  being 
deceived  by  the  impostors,  who  would  make  their  appearance 
at  the  time  of  which  the  Lord  was  then  speaking. 

2.  In  the  verse  before  us  we  have  the  subject  introduced 
in  its  appropriate  place  and  form.  But  we  cannot  proceed 
with  the  exposition  until  something  more  is  done  to  exhibit 
the  errors  which  have  become  so  prevalent  in  the  usual  inter- 
pretations of  this  verse.  Like  the  27th  verse,  this  also  is 
usually  applied  to  the  coming  of  the  Romans,  and  treated  as 
a  mere  figurative  representation  of  the  divine  judgments  upon 
the  Jews. 

"Whitby  may  be  considered  as  having  given  the  popular 
opinion  in  respect  to  this  verse.  "  Our  Saviour's  coming  here 
seems  therefore  to  import  his  coming  by  the  Roman  army  to 
besiege  and  destroy  Jerusalem,  and  the  unbelieving  Jews  /  for 
so  Christ  seemeth  plainly  to  interpret  this  c  coming  of  the  Son 
of  man :'  (Yerse  27.)  '  The  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  shall 
be  as  the  lightning  shining  from  the  east  to  the  west ;  oVou  /ap, 
for  wheresoever  the  Jews  are,  thither  shall  the  Roman  army 
be  gathered'  (see  verse  27,  above :)  his  coming  therefore  must 
be  with  the  Roman  army."*  "  And  this  interpretation,"  he 

ter,  as  the  writer  at  first  gladly  hoped  and  supposed.  Wesley,  it  appears, 
from  his  own  explanation  of  the  case,  (Preface,  Sec.  7,)  followed,  almost  with- 
out deviation,  in  the  track  of  BENGELIUS,  whom  he  regarded  as  a  "  great  light 
of  the  Christian  world."  Bengelius  did  not  mislead  Mr.  Wesley  in  divinity, 
but  in  critical  exegesis  of  certain  passages,  where — not  the  theology  of  the 
Scriptures — but  common  history  and  unfulfilled  prophecy,  have  to  be  depend- 
ed upon  for  primary  sources  of  argument  and  illustration ; — in  this  depart- 
ment of  biblical  exegesis,  it  is  undeniable  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  misled,  not 
3nly  in  the  passage  before  us,  but  in  several  others,  by  his  too  great  reliance 
upon  Bengelius. 
*  Certainly,  if  Christ  used  the  words  you  put  in  his  mouth. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  251 

continues,  "will  not  seem  strange  if  we  consider,  (1.)  That 
God's  coming  to  destroy,  or  execute  his  vengeance  on  a  wick- 
ed generation,  is  represented  as  his  '  coming  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven.' "  Then  follow  several  references  to  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. 

3.  ISTow,  after  the  historical  demonstration  of  the  error  of 
applying  the  27th  verse  to  the  coming  of  the  Romans ;  and 
after  the  argument  against  the  metaphorical  interpretation  of 
the  29th  verse,  it  cannot  be  necessary  to  detain  the  reader 
long  with  preliminaries  to  the  true  exposition  of  the  verse 
under  notice.     The  common  figurative  theory  of  interpreta- 
tion, as  it  is  exhibited  by  Whitby,  consists  of  two  different 
branches  ;  one  of  which  makes  the  coming  of  Christ  to  be  a 
literal  coming  of  the  Romans  to  execute  the  judgments  of 
Christ  upon  the  Jews ;  and  the  other  branch  of  the  theory 
supposes  that  the  coming  of  Christ  here  described,  though  in 
some  way  connected  with  the  coming  of  the  Romans,  does 
not  so  much  refer  to  the  actual  coming  of  that  people,  and  of 
the  calamities  they  occasioned,  as  to  the  subsequent  manifes- 
tation of  the  Lord  Jesus  by  the  judgments  which  he,  by  means 
of  the  Romans,  inflicted. 

4.  This  branch  of  the  theory  is  sufficiently  stated  by  New- 
ton in  his  dissertation  on  the  Prophecies ;  and  it  has  been 
adopted  by  several  of  our  principal  commentators.     "  Our 
Saviour  proceeded  in  the  same  figurative  style,  (verse  30 :) 
4  And  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven,' 
&c.    The  plain  meaning  of  it  is,  that  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem will  be  such  a  remarkable  instance  of  divine  vengeance, 
such  a  signal  manifestation  of  Christ's  power  and  glory,  that 
all  the  Jewish  tribes  shall  mourn,  and  many  will  be  led  from 
thence  to  acknowledge  Christ  and  the  Christian  religion.     In 
the  ancient  prophets,  God  is  frequently  described  as  coming 
in  the  clouds,  upon  any  remarkable  interposition  and  mani- 
festation of  his  power ;  and  the  same  description  is  here  ap- 
plied to  Christ.     The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  will  be  as  am- 
ple a  manifestation  of  Christ's  power  and  glory,  as  if  he  was 
himself  to  come  visibly  in  the  clouds  of  heaven."  [! !]     See 
Newton  on  the  Prophecies. 


252  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

5.  If  this  form  of  the  figurative  theory  were  not  to  be  found 
in  most  of  the  Expositions  in  common  use,  the  writer  would 
consider  it  too  absurd,  not  to  say  ridiculous,  to  meet  a  formal 
notice.     But  when  we  find  it  maintained,  either  in  whole  or 
in  part,  by  such  divines  as  Newton,  Clarke,  Watson,  Coke, 
Benson,  Barnes,  Macknight,  &c.;  and  when  we  find  that  it  is 
the  best  explanation  that  the  defenders  of  the  figurative  theo- 
ry can  give  of  this  coming  of  the  Lord  ;  it  then  stands  us  in 
hand  to  expose  this  absurdity.     The  reader's  attention  will  be 
directed,  first,  to  the  branch  of  the  theory  as  maintained  by 
WHITBY, — that  the  coming  of  Christ  here  means  "  his  coming 
by  the  Roman  army  to  besiege  and  destroy  Jerusalem  and  the 
unbelieving  Jews." 

6.  Now,  if  reason  and  fact  can  be  allowed  to  have  an  influ- 
ence in  settling  a  disputed  question,  it  will  not  take  long  to 
exhibit  the  utter  inconsistency  of  this  form  of  the  theory. 

(1.)  If  the  coming  of  the  Lord  at  this  time  was  merely  "  the 
coming  of  the  Roman  army  to  destroy  Jerusalem  and  the  un- 
believing Jews,"  then  it  will  follow,  of  necessity,  that  it  occur- 
red at  the  same  time,  since,  in  fact,  it  is  affirmed  to  be  the 
same  event. 

(2.)  Now,  the  Romans  came  several  years  'before  the  de- 
struction of  the  city.  Bat  our  Lord  places  the  coming  here 
spoken  of  afterwards  ! 

(3.)  Again,  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  state,  and  church, 
their  city,  and  people,  resulted  from  the  coming  of  the  Ro- 
mans, and  must,  of  course,  have  been  after  that  coming,  be- 
cause results  must  be  subsequent  to  the  causes  which  produced 
them. 

But  our  Lord  describes  this  coming  as  being  after  the  trib- 
ulation of  those  days,  and  subsequent  in  order  to  the  darkening 
of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  Which  shall  we  believe,  man  or 
the  Lord?  Who  is  to  be  sustained  and  justified, — those  who 
pay  less  respect  to  human  wisdom,  and  more  to  divine,  —  or 
those  who  do  otherwise  ?  The  answer  should  be  a  practical 
one. 

7.  It  is  but  justice  to  Whitby  to  observe,  that  he  had  logical 
foresight  enough  to  avoid  this  palpable  contradiction,  by  sup- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  253 

posing  that  "  the  tribulation  of  those  days,"  after  which  this 
coming  was  to  be,  occurred  at  an  earlier  stage  of  the  war,  "  a 
considerable  time  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,"  while 
"  Vespasian's  army  was  flying  quickly  through  Gallilee,  Idu- 
mea,  and  Judea."  And  he  makes  it  out — truly,  and  undenia- 
bly— that  the  Jewish  ecclesiastical  and  civil  government  was 
indeed  overthrown,  and  their  eminent  men  and  rulers  de- 
stroyed, before  Jerusalem  itself  was  overthrown.  Hence  his 
distinct  affirmation  that  the  coming  now  spoken  of  by  the 
Lord,  was  "  the  coming  of  the  Eomans  to  destroy  Jerusalem 
and  the  unbelieving  Jews." 

8.  So  far  as  the  writer  has  extended  his  investigations, 
"Whitby  appears  to  be  alone  in  the  peculiar  turn  which  he 
gives  to  his  exposition.  He  was  too  strongly  wedded  to  his 
figurative  theory  to  abandon  it  for  a  literal  application  of  the 
verse  ;  and  he  was  too  keen  a  logician  to  blunder  into  a  pal- 
pable contradiction  of  the  Lord.  Therefore  he  adopted  this 
singular  method  of  saving  his  logic,  whatever  might  happen 
to  his  divinity.  To  this  singular  modification  of  the  figurative 
theory,  there  are  objections,  which  seem  to  have  prevented 
any,  or  many,  from  adopting  it ;  although  the  theory  in  the 
main  has  been  almost  universally  received. 

(1.)  The  first  thing  that  may  be  noticed  is,  that  his  comment 
on  the  verse  under  notice  does  not  agree  with  his  explanation 
of  verse  27,  where  the  same  coming  of  the  Lord  is  incidentally 
alluded  to.  In  explaining  the  coming  of  Christ  there,  he  does 
indeed  refer  it  to  the  coming  of  the  Romans  /  but  it  is  appli- 
ed to  their  first  conquests  of  the  country.  Whereas,  the  com- 
ing here  mentioned  is  restricted  to  the  coming  of  Titus  to 
finish  up  the  war  by  besieging  Jerusalem  and  destroying  the 
Jews  that  remained ! 

(2.)  Another  thing  to  be  remembered  is  this :  this  same 
able  divine  has  labored,  and  successfully,  too,  to  show  that 
there  was  a  total  destruction  of  the  Jewish  "  ecclesiastiaal  and 
civil  state,  and  the  rulers  of  them  both,"  "  a  considerable  time 
before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem."  There  was,  indeed ; 
and  previously  to  the  sige  of  Jerusalem,  the  whole  country, 
north,  south,  east,  and  west,  had  been  conquered  and  ravaged  ; 


254  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

while  in  the  metropolis  itself,  before  the  coming  of  Titus  to 
besiege  it,  not  only  the  priesthood,  but  the  judiciary,  the  civil 
government  and  the  eminent  men  of  the  nation,  had  been  de- 
stroyed, and  the  temple  itself  had  become  a  fortress  for  an 
army  of  robbers. 

Now,  to  save  the  logic  of  his  strange  theory,  the  learned 
divine  has  to  plunge  into  the  palpable  absurdity  of  supposing 
that  the  great  manifestation  of  the  Lord's  judgment  upon  the 
Jews,  by  which  Christ  was  to  be  seen  coming  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  with  power  and  great  glory,  was  not  the  coming  of 
the  Romans  to  invade  and  ravage  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  land ;  was  not  the  destruction,  by  death  and  captivity,  of 
the  bulk  of  the  nation,  till  but  a  single  city  was  left ;  was  not 
the  utter  overthrow  of  their  state,  church,  judiciary,  and  em- 
inent men,  like  the  darkening  of  their  sun,  moon,  and  stars ; — 
no — all  this  formed  no  part  of  that  work  of  judgment  which 
was  to  manifest  so  amazingly  the  glory  of  Christ,  by  his  ven- 
geance upon  the  Jews ; — but,  after  all  the  country  was  con- 
quered, the  state,  church,  and  eminent  men  destroyed,  and 
there  was  but  a  single  city  left,  and  that  so  near  destruction 
in  consequence  of  the  ravages  of  the  robbers  within,  that  it 
was  rather  a  relief  than  otherwise,  (so  it  was  expressly  affirm- 
ed,) to  be  assailed  by  the  Romans  ; — then,  as  the  author  un- 
der review  says,  this  judgment-coming  of  the  Lord  took  place ! 
Then  it  was  that  he  was  so  conspicuously  seen  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  to  punish  the  unbelieving  Jews  !  All  before 
this  time  was  to  be  counted  as  nothing !  The  destruction  of 
the  church,  government,  rulers,  cities,  provinces,  and  people 
without  number,  was  nothing !  But  when  Titus  came  to  be- 
siege the  metropolis,  and  destroy  what  remained  of  the  people, 
this  was  the  surpassingly  glorious  manifestation  of  the  Lord 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  It  is  not  suprising  that  this 
strange  peculiarity  of  the  troublesome  theory  should  have  but 
few,  ifk  any,  supporters.  There  is  yet  left  in  the  common 
mind  a  little  of  that  common  sense  which  is  rather  trouble- 
some to  the  sophist  who  labors  to  save  his  logic  at  the  expense 
of  reason. 

The  other  branch  of  the  figurative  theory  of  applying  this 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  255 

verse,  is  thus  stated  by  Bishop  NEWTON  in  his  work  GU  the 
Prophecies  :  "  The  plain  meaning  of  it  is,  that  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  will  be  such  a  remarkable  instance  of 
divine  vengeance,  such  a  signal  manifestation  of  Christ's 
power  and  glory,  that  all  the  Jewish  tribes  shall  mourn,  and 
many  will  be  led  from  thence  to  acknowledge  Christ  and  the 
Christian  religion.  In  the  ancient  prophets,  God  is  frequently 
described  as  coming  in  the  clouds,  upon  any  remarkable  inter- 
position and  manifestation  of  his  power ;  and  the  same 
description  is  here  applied  to  Christ.  The  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  will  be  as  ample  a  manifestation  of  CHRIST'S  power 
and  glory,  as  if  he  was  himself  to  come  visibly  in  the  "  clouds 
of  heaven"  [!] 

Now,  wonderful  as  it  may  seem,  the  defenders  of  the  figu- 
rative exposition  are  so  hardly,  so  desperately  pushed  by  the 
difficulties  of  their  fanciful  theory,  that  this  is  the  best  expla- 
nation of  the  passage  that  they  can  give  !  The  most  particu- 
lar, the  most  generally  quoted,  the  most  evidently  literal 
description  of  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  that  can  be 
found  in  the  Bible,  is  explained  to  mean  nothing  more  than 
the  moral  effects  upon  unbelieving  men  of  a  terrible  judgment 
upon  the  wicked  Jews  !  And  this  is  the  favorite  theory  of 
nearly  all  our  modern  divines  !  Let  us  look  once  more  at  the 
words  of  which  such  a  statement  is  designed  to  be  a  comment. 

Verse  30.   AND  THEN  SHALL  APPEAR  THE  SIGN  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  IN  HEAVEN. 

AND  THEN  SHALL  ALL  THE  TRIBES  OF  THE  EARTH  MOURN  ;  AND  THEY  SHALL  SEE  THE 
SON  OF  MAN  COMING  IN  THE  CLOUDS  OF  HEAVEN  WITH  POWER  AND  GREAT  GLORT. 

Now,  who,  that  is  not  hopelessly  committed  to  the  figura- 
tive theory,  would  suppose  that  it  was  possible  for  such  divines 
as  Newton,  Clarke,  and  a  host  of  others,  to  satisfy  themselves 
with  such  a  view  of  such  a  passage?  Such  an  unnatural, 
unsatisfying,  unimpressive  exposition  would  be  the  less  objec- 
tionable, if  it  were  not  for  several  considerations : 

1.  The  literal  interpretation  of  the  passage  would  not  intro- 
duce into  the  church  any  sentiment  that  was  new,  unfamiliar, 
or  unprofitable. 

2.  It  would  be  only  treating  the  passage  just  as  we  are 


256  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

habitually  treating  many  other  passages  which  are  less  par- 
ticular, less  evidently  literal,  less  important,  and  less  im- 
pressive. 

3.  The  passage  is  acknowledged  by  these   very   divines 
(most  of  them)  to  have  a  remote  reference  to  the  second  advent 
at  the  end  of  the  world.     They  usually  contend,  however, 
that  its  primary  reference  is  to  Jewish  affairs. 

4.  The  figurative  interpretation  of  this  passage  is  no  more 
natural  or  justifiable  than  the  figurative  interpretation  of  any 
other,  and  every  other,  of  the  same  character,  contained  in 
the  Bible.     And  the  same  arguments  which  are  used  to  set 
aside  the  literal  rendering  of  this  verse,  may  be  used  just  as 
successfully,  and  generally  more  so,  to  evade  the  literal  teach- 
ing of  every  passage  in  the  Scripture  on  which  we  rely  to 
prove  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  judgment.     Hence,  those 
who  deny  the  second  advent  of  our  Lord,  have  only  to  extend 
as  far  as  they  please    the  application  of  orthodox  (?)  argu- 
ments, and  where  does  the  Bible  teach  the  judgment-coming 
of  our  Lord  ? 

5.  The  figurative  theory  of  interpretation  naturally  tends 
to  prevent  the  confidence  which  the  mass  of  readers  would 
have  in  the  Scriptures,  if  commentators  did  not  almost  uni- 
versally betray  a  distrust  of  the  literal  teaching  of  the  divine 
word.    But  when  great  men  set  the  example  of  metaphorizing, 
and  poetizing  the   most   important   communications  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  common  people  are 
so  generally  unaffected  by  those  very  portions  of  the  Bible 
which  seem  to  have  been  designed  for  the  principal  perma- 
nent sources  of  warning  to  the  careless,  and  encouragement 
to  the  faithful.     If  the  people  are  warned  and  religiously 
influenced  by  the  passages  relating  to  the  second  advent,  it  is 
rather  in  spite  of,  or  in  contempt  of,  the  fanciful  and  unnatural 
theorizings  of  men  renowned  for  wit,  research,  and  learning. 
The  hope  of  the  world,  in  respect  to  these  things,  is  in  the 
natural,  unsophisticated  confidence  and  reverence  which  com- 
mon people  usually  have   for  what  they  believe  to  be  the 
teachings  of  Inspiration.     But  just  as  soon   as  this  simple- 
hearted  confidence  is  destroyed,  by  the  clashing,  far-fetched. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  257 

mystifying  comments  of  men,  so  soon  the  foundation  on 
which  to  build  the  hope  of  conversion  is  to  a  great  extent 
undermined.  And  the  question,  after  all,  is  simply  this : 
Was  the  Bible  designed  for  the  common  people — for  the 
many  people  —  or  was  it  designed  for  the  few — the  learned? 
If  for  the  common  people,  then  it  was  adapted  to  them,  as 
common  people  ;  and  it  was  done  by  the  Infinite  Wisdom  that 
arranged  all  the  vronderful  adaptions  in  nature.  Whence, 
then,  the  propriety,  or  even  lawfulness,  of  wresting  from  its 
natural  and  easy  import  such  passages  as  the  one  before  us, 
and  expounding  them  in  such  a  way  that  no  common,  un- 
sophisticated mind  would  ever  be  likely  to  adopt  from  its  own 
spontaneous  convictions  ?  If  the  Bible  was  not  designed  and 
adapted  to  the  common  mind — to  the  many — then  it  either 
had  no  adaption,  or  it  was  designed  for  the  few — the  learned. 
And,  if  this  be  so,  then  the  Romish  church  is  right  in  with- 
holding the  pure  word  of  God  from  the  masses,  and  teaching 
that  the  priesthood  alone  are  capable  of  understanding  it. 

6.  This  loose  and  fanciful  method  of  expounding  this,  and 
other  similar  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  is  most  evidently  the 
source  of  theoretic  Universalism,  and  other  forms  of  semi- 
infidelity.     And  it  occasions  a  lack  of  intensity  in  the  im- 
pressions which  these  portions  of  the  Bible  were  evidently 
designed  to  produce.     The  injury  is  incalculable,  and  ordina- 
rily incurable.     This  painful  truth  meets  us  at  every  point, 
and  probably  eternity  will  disclose  an  extent  of  injury  from 
this  source  that  will  be  absolutely  appalling. 

7.  Great  must  be  the  necessity  then,  that  should  justify  any 
departure  from  literality  in  expounding  such  passages  as  this. 
It  ought  to  be  ascertained,  first,  that  a  literal  interpretation  is 
absolutely  impracticable ;  that  it  either  clashes  with  other 
portions  of  the  Bible,  or  with  indubitable  facts.     Nothing  less 
than  this  should  be  deemed  sufficient  to  warrant  us  in  conclu- 
ding that  the  Lord  did  not  mean  just  what  he  said,  in  a  dis- 
course intended  for  the  common  mind. 

8.  But  are  there  any  such  reasons  for  wresting  this  passage 
from  its  literal  and  natural  import?     No  ;  there  is  not  one. 
Does  its  literal  teaching  conflict  with  well  ascertained  facts  ? 

17 


258  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

No ;  it  does  not :  the  whole  race  of  learned  men  may  "be 
safely  challenged  to  produce  a  single  fact  that  can  possibly  be 
brought  into  conflict  with  the  literal  teaching  of  this  text. 
Does  it  clash  with  other  portions  of  Scripture  ?  No ;  it  does 
not:  there  is  not  only  no  disagreement,  but  the  literal  teach- 
ing of  this  text  is  in  the  most  perfect  harmony  with  those 
portions  which  undeniably  relate  primarily  to  the  second 
coming  of  the  Lord.  What,  then,  can  justify  this  almost 
universal  practice  of  poetizing  one  of  the  most  rigidly  prose 
portions  of  the  Bible  ?  Let  him  answer  who  can. 

9.  There  is  one  objection  that  may  be  anticipated  here : 
Have  we  not  examples  of  undeniable  figurativeness  in  many 
portions  of  the  Old  Testament,  where  the  language  is  similar, 
or  just  like  that  now  under  notice  ?  No ;  THERE  is  NOT  ONE. 
These  are  passages  which  speak  of  God  being  in  the  clouds  at 
the  giving  of  the  law,  and  during  the  exodous  and  journey 
of  the  Israelites.  But  they  are  all  literal,  for  they  refer  to 
literal  occurrences.  But  there  is  not  a  passage  in  the  Old 
Testament,  excepting  Dan.  vii.  13,  that  is  just  like  or  even 
similar,  to  the  passage  under  notice.  One  would  naturally 
infer  from  the  confident  manner  in  which  writers  are  accus- 
tomed to  appeal  to  the  Old  Testament,  as  presenting  many 
examples  of  using  this  kind  of  language  figuratively,  that 
nothing  was  more  common,  and  nothing  more  evident,  than 
the  figurative  use  of  such  descriptions  of  the  coming  of  God 
or  Christ.  There  is  a  vast  amount  of  assertion,  and  a  great 
deal  said  about  the  hieroglyphical  and  prophetical  style  of 
prediction ;  and  there  are,  indeed,  a  great  number  of  passages 
which  are  usually  referred  to  as  specimens  and  proofs.  But, 
with  the  exception  before  noted,  there  is  not  one,  no,  not  one, 
that  is  even  similar  to  the  verse  under  notice.  This  is  written 
as  the  convincing  conclusion  of  an  examination  of  all  the 
passages  that  a  learned  and  laborious  defender  of  the  figura- 
tive theory  could  produce.  His  attempt  has  utterly  failed. 
There  are  a  few  expressions  in  the  poetical  parts  of  the  Old 
Testament  which  do,  indeed,  contain  a  similar  word,  as,  for 
instance,  the  word  come  ;  Isa.  Ixiv.  1.  "  Oh  that  thou  wouldst 
rend  the  heavens,  that  thou  wouldst  come  down  !  "  Hab.  iii. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION,  259 

3.  "  God  came  from  Teman."  Gen.  xi.  5.  "  The  Lord  came 
down  to  see  the  city  and  the  tower."  Ex.  iii.  8.  "  I  am  come 
down  to  deliver  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians." 
But  what  similarity  is  there  between  these  mere  expressions 
and  the  descriptive  passage  under  notice  ?  There  is,  indeed, 
the  similarity  of  a  word.  But  if  this  establishes  a  parallel- 
ism,  then  what  passages  are  not  parallel  ?  And  whereunto 
would  this  thing  grow,  if  it  should  be  diligently  encouraged  ? 
But  it  may  be  replied,  that  these,  and  many  other  similar  ex- 
pressions, present  a  similarity  of  idea  :  they  represent  God  as 
coming  down,  going  forth,  rising  up,  &c.  This  is  true, 
indeed;  but  whoever  thought,  on  any  other  subject,  that  the 
similarity  of  a  single  idea  made  the  expression  conveying  it 
parallel  to  a  group  and  succession  of  ideas  ?  The  passage 
before  us  is  not  merely  an  idea,  or  an  expression :  it  is  a 
graphic  description  of  a  scene,  with  its  attending  results. 
And,  with  the  aforementioned  exception,  the  whole  race  of 
metaphorizers  may  be  safely  challenged  to  point  out  a  paral- 
lel in  the  Old  Testament.  If  men  should  reason  so  loosely 
and  unphilosophically  on  almost  any  other  subject,  they 
would  be  in  danger  of  losing  their  reputation  for  common 
intelligence.  And  why  the  world  has  so  long  tolerated  this 
superficial  method  of  explaining  away  the  most  solemn  and 
literal  teachings  of  Inspiration,  is  really  wonderful. 

10.  The  same  observations  are  just  as  applicable  to  the  many 
references  to  the  passages  which  speak  of  God  coming  in  a 
cloud,  riding  upon  a  cloud,  &c.  These  figurative  expressions 
which  abound  in  the  poetical  Scriptures,  are  no  more  parallel 
with  the  passage  before  us  than  those  noticed  previously. 
There  is  about  the  same  parallel  that  there  is  between  a  regu- 
lar, well  painted  picture,  and  a  single  daub  of  one  of  the 
colors  on  something  else.  Besides,  they  either  state,  or  refer 
to  the  fact,  that  was  so  prominent  in  the  early  and  never-for- 
gotten history  of  the  Jews,  when  God  did  literally  come  down 
in  a  cloud,  dwell  in  the  thick  cloud,  make  clouds  and  dark- 
ness his  pavilion,  march  forth  "  in  the  pillar  of  a  cloud,"  &c. 
Where,  then  is  the  force  of  the  argument  to  justify  the  meta- 
jphorizing  the  passage  before  us,  on  the  ground  of  parallelism 


260  HAHMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

with  these  representations  ?  In  the  first  place,  they  are  not 
parallel.  In  the  second  place,  if  they  were  parallel,  it  would 
be  fatal  to  the  reasonings  of  those  who  make  this  use  of 
thefcn. 

11.  The  advocates  of  the  figurative  theory  are  confident  that 
the  New  Testament  affords  them  many  examples  of  even  such 
descriptions  of  the  coming  of  Christ  as  the  passage  under 
notice  presents,  where  a  figurative  interpretation  must  be 
adopted.  For  example,  Christ's  declaration  to  the  high- 
priest,  Matt.  xxvi.  64,  "Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  man, 
sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven."  The  use  the  advocate  of  the  figurative  theory 
would  make,  is  this  :  As  it  is  certain  the  high-priest  could 
not  live  until  the  day  of  judgment,  and  as  the  second  advent 
will  be  prior  to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  therefore,  it  is 
not  possible  that  the  high-priest  can  ever  be  a  witness  of  the 
second  coming  of  Christ.  For  this  reason,  then,  it  is  conclu- 
ded that  the  coming  spoken  of  must  be  a  figurative  coming 
to  destroy  Jerusalem.  This  is  the  most  plausible  argument 
that  can  be  produced  in  favor  of  the  figurative  theory.  But 
let  us  analyze  it,  and  see  what  it  contains. 

In  the  first  place  it  assumes  that  that  identical  high-priest, 
Caiaphas,  lived  until  the  time  of  destroying  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. Of  this  there  is  no  proof  whatever,  but  several  things 
which  render  it  exceedingly  improbable  :  (1.)  He  had  already 
been  a  priest  five  or  six  years,  and  was  probably  nearly  forty 
years  of  age.  The  strong  probability  is  that  he  died  long 
before  the  so-called  coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem.  About 
four  years  after  Christ  was  brought  before  him,  he  was 
deposed  from  the  priesthood  under  the  displeasure  of  the 
emperor ;  an!  what  became  of  him  is  not  known.  (2.)  There 
was  a  terrible  destruction  of  the  eminent  men  of  the  nation 
previous  to  the  great  catastrophe.  And  men  so  eminent  as 
the  son-in-law  of  Annas  would  not  be  likely  to  escape.  (3.) 
The  strong  probability  is  that  he  was  made  way  with,  like 
myriads  of  others  of  eminent  position,  during  the  dreadful 
years  of  commotion  that  preceded  the  final  overthrow  of  the 
nation. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  261 

In  the  second  place  the  argument  assumes,  that  because  the 
advent  is  to  precede  the  resurrection,  therefore,  the  resurrec- 
ted high-priest  could  not  witness  it,  since  he  would  not  be 
raised  until  afterwards.  The  entire  force  of  the  assumption 
rests  upon  the  presumption  that  Christ  would  not  remain  in 
the  clouds  a  single  moment  after  giving  the  word  that  wakes 
the  dead.  And  the  resurrection  will  undoubtedly  be  as  in- 
stantaneous as  the  change  of  the  living  —  "  In  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump  ;  for  the  trumpet 
shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised,''  &c. 

Now,  if  Christ  should  see  fit  to  sound  the  trumpet  at  the 
beginning  of  his  advent,  or  while  he  remains  in  the  air,  what 
force  could  there  be  in  this  plausible  assumption,  which  the 
objector  deems  so  conclusive  ?  That  Christ  will  remain  for 
a  time  in  the  air,  is  demonstrated  from  the  declaration,  1  Thess. 
iv.  15-17,  "  We  which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming 
of  the  Lord,  shall  not  prevent  (go  before)  them  which  are 
asleep  (dead.)  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the 
trump  of  God  ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first.  Then 
we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up  together 
with  them  in  the  CLOUDS,  TO  MEET  THE  LORD  IN  THE  AIR  !"  Thus 
it  appears  to  be  the  very  design  of  God,  and  he  has  so  de- 
clared it,  that  the  voice  that  wakes  the  dead  is  to  be  sounded 
while  the  Lord  remains  in  the  clouds  ;  and  the  dead  are  to  be 
raised  and  caught  up  to  meet  him  there  !  What  then  becomes 
of  this  specious  objection  ?  It  is  annihilated.  And  the  min- 
isters who  make  it  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  their  ignorance  of 
this  most  interesting  part  of  the  Bible. 

The  Church  has  been  accustomed  to  sing, 

"The  living  look  with  dread; 

The  frighted  dead  arise, 
Start  from  their  monumental  bed, 

And  lift  their  ghastly  eyes." 

And  this  view  is  rigidly  Scriptural :  "  Behold,  fie  comethwith 
clouds  j  and  every  eye  shall  see  h^m  /  and  THEY  ALSO  WHICH 
PIERCED  HIM  ;  and  all  'kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because 
of  him."  Kev.  i.  7. 


262  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

If  it  should  still  be  urged,  that  this  seeing  him,  and  wailing 
because  of  him,  will  be  true  only  with  respect  to  the  wicked 
who  shall  be  alive  at  the  last  day,  —  then  the  objector  will, 
in  the  third  place,  assume  that  the  wicked  will  not  be  raised 
at  the  second  advent.  Let  this  objector,  then,  recollect  that 
he  must  not  object  to  the  doctrine  of  two  resurrections,  if  he 
should  hereafter  meet  with  it.  And  the  objector  further  as- 
sumes that  Caiaphas  did  certainly  live  and  die  an  impenitent 
man,  so  that  he  cannot  be  raised  at  the  "  resurrection  of  the 
just."  Yet  multitudes  of  these  very  Jews  were  afterward 
converted;  even  the  "  murderers  and  betrayers"  of  Christ. 
And  at  one  time,  "  a  great  company  of  priests  were  obedient 
unto  the  faith." 

In  the  fourth  place,  the  objector  assumes  that  Christ's  dec- 
laration was  to  be  restricted  to  the  person  of  Caiaphas  him- 
self: "  Hereafter  YE  shall  see,"  &c.  Yet  the  same  divines 
that  so  restrict  the  word  are  trying  to  convert  the  world  un- 
der the  authority  of  the  commission  given  to  the  apostles  ; 
"  Go  YE,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations  ;  and  lo  I  am  with 
YOU  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  Those  to  whom  he  said  YE, 
according  to  the  objector's  principles,  must  be  still  alive,  be- 
cause they  were  to  continue  to  the  end  of  the  world  !  And 
these  same  divines  ought,  according  to  their  own  reasonings, 
to  suppose  that  Paul  and  his  brethren  then  living  expected  to 
live  until  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  raise  the  dead  ;  for  he 
says  — "  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  (die,)  but  we  shall  all  be 
changed,"  &c.  And  "  then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain 
unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,"  &c. 

Now,  what  has  become  of  this  popular  and  plausible  objec- 
tion to  the  literal  theory  ?  It  is  wholly  a  series  of  mere  as- 
sumptions arrayed  against,  (1.)  The  probabilities  in  the  case 
of  Caiaphas  living  beyond  the  common  age  of  man  during 
such  times  as  those ;  (2.)  Mere  assumptions  opposed  to  the 
direct  Scripture  declarations  respecting  the  fact  of  the  risen 
dead  seeing  the  Lord  in  the  clouds ;  (3.)  Mere  assumptions 
against  the  theories  of  the  very  divines  who  make  them,  in 
respect  to  the  fact  of  two  different  resurrections ;  (4.)  As- 
sumption in  direct  opposition  to  Scripture  usage  in  respect  to 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  263 

restricting  declarations  to  the  individuals  to  whom  they  were 
first  addressed. 

More  time  has  been  occupied  with  this  popular  objection 
to  the  literal  rendering,  because  it  has  been  deemed  a  poser 
to  the  literalist.  Has  there  not  been  enough  said  to  demon- 
strate its  perfect  nothingness  and  un worthiness  ? 

12.  A  moment  may  be  occupied  in  noticing  another  ar- 
gument to  prove  that  Christ  spake  of  his  coming  with  ref- 
erence to  Jewish  affairs.  By  an  eminent  divine  it  is  thus 
stated : 

"  In  John  xxi.  22,  is  a  very  significant  passage.  '  And  Jesus 
said :  If  I  will  that  he  [John]  tarry  until  I  come,  what  is  that 
to  thee  ?'  John's  fellow  disciples  spread  abroad  a  report  from 
this,  that  the  Saviour  had  said  to  him,  that  he  should  not  die. 
But  John  himself  remarks,  that  '  Jesus  did  not  say,  He  shall 
not  die,'  but,  '  If  I  will  that  he  tarry  until  I  come,  what  is 
that  to  thee.'  '  "  In  other  words,"  continues  the  writer, 
"  John  understood  Jesus  not  as  promising  exemption  from 
death,  but  only  that  he  should  live  until  his  coming.  And 
when,  now,  was  that  to  be  ?  If  his  coming  meant  the  gene- 
ral judgment,  then  John  would  not  have  to  die  at  all;  for 
saints  then  alive  were  not  to  die,  but  to  be  immediately 
'  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,'  doubtless  with  an  ap- 
propriate metamorphosis.  The  coming  in  question,  then,  after 
which  John  was  to  die  and  not  before,  must  have  been  some 
coming  during  that  generation.  And  what  else  could  it  be 
referred  to,  except  to  his  coming  to  punish  the  unbelieving 
Jews?" 

Now,  who  would  ever  dream  of  such  an  explanation  of 
this  matter,  if  his  whole  field  of  vision  were  not  entirely  oc- 
cupied with  "  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ?"  This  is  the 
same  writer  that  attempts  to  make  so  much  of  Christ's  decla- 
ration to  the  high-priest ;  inferring,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that 
Caiaphas  lived  to  witness  that  so-called  coming.  And  the 
writer  also  understands  Christ  to  have  affirmed  repeatedly  in 
the  hearing  of  his  disciples,  that  "  the  generation  of  men  then 
living  "  should  not  pass  away  until  all  that  he  had  foretold 


264  HAKMONY"    AND   EXPOSITION. 

about  Jerusalem's  desolation  should  be  fulfilled.*  Now,  if 
the  disciples  understood  Christ  to  refer  to  a  judicial  coming 
to  destroy  Jerusalem,  and  also  understood  him  to  say,  that  all 
should  be  fulfilled  before  that  generation  of  men  then  living 
should  pass  away,  how  came  they  to  spread  abroad  the  report, 
that  "  that  disciple  should  not  die  ?  "  Observe,  the  report  was 
not,  that  he  should  live  to  be  very  old  /  not  that  he  should 
not  die  a  violent  death  •  but  that  he  should  NOT  DIE.  The  disci- 
ples had  been  distinctly  and  repeatedly  informed,  according 
to  the  figurative  theory,  that  these  temporal  judgments  should 
occur  within  the  lifetime  of  that  generation  of  men  ;  and  yet, 
because  John  should  live  to  witness  them,  therefore  John 
should  never  die !  Was  there  ever  a  more  unnatural  and  im- 
probable conclusion  ?  How  hard  it  is  to  prop  up  a  founda- 
tionless  theory ! 

The  whole  matter  is  susceptible  of  an  easy,  natural,  and 
scriptural  explanation.  The  incident  occurred  after  Christ's 
resurrection,  when  the  disciples  had  been  enlightened  in  re- 
spect to  many  things  which  previously  they  had  not  under- 
stood. It  occurred  among  the  last  incidents  recorded  by 
John,  and  probably  just  before  the  ascension.  Now  Christ 
continued  with  his  disciples,  after  his  resurrection,  forty  days, 
"  speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God." 
Acts  i.  3.  Now  it  is  morally  impossible  that  so  important  a 
matter  as  his  coming  to  raise  the  dead,  and  change  the  living, 
could  have  been  omitted  during  all  those  finishing  instructions 
which  Christ  tarried  to  give  them,  in  order  to  prepare  them 
for  their  work  after  his  ascension.  Let  us  suppose,  then,  what 
we  are  morally  obliged  to  suppose,  that  now,  after  receiving 
their  final  instructions  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  disciples  un- 
derstood the  matters  pertaining  to  the  second  advent  as  Paul 
has  described  it  in  1  Cor.  xv.  51,  52.  Those  who  "  remain 
unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord "  will  not  die  /  but  will  be 
"  changed,"  without  passing  through  death,  into  immortal  be- 

*  Christ's  remark  concerning  John  was  made  after  all  his  discourses  about 
Jerusalem  had  been  delivered. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  265 

ings.  "With  this  view  of  the  case,  all  is  natural  and  plain. 
The  disciples  understand  Christ  to  say,  or  at  least  to  inti- 
mate, that  it  would  be  his  will  that  John  should  "  tarry  "  un- 
til his  coming.  Then  the  saying  immediately  goes  abroad, 
that  John  should  not  die.  How  natural !  How  scriptural ! 
They  understood  that  John  was  to  be  kept  "  alive  unto  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  ;"  and,  of  course,  supposed  that  he  would 
not  die.  "  Yet  Jesus  said  not  unto  him,  He  shall  not  die ; 
but,  IF  I  will  that  he  tarry  until  I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee  ? 
Follow  thou  me"  Christ  had  just  signified  to  Peter  "  by 
what  death  he  should  glorify  God  ;"  and  said  to  him,  Follow 
me.  But  Peter,  instead  of  attending  to  his  own  affairs,  began 
to  meddle  with  Christ's ;  and  wanted  to  know  what  should 
be  the  destiny  of  John.  Christ  gave  him  to  understand  that 
it  was  none  of  his  concern ;  it  was  wholly  a  matter  of  his 
[Christ's]  own  determination.  "  If  I  will  that  he  tarry  until  I 
come,  what  is  that  to  thee  ?  Follow  thou  me." 

How  much  easier  it  is  to  support  the  truth,  than  to  support 
fiction  !  If  men  were  really  anxious  to  find  out  a  literal  in- 
terpretation of  the  Lord's  words,  it  is  surprising  that  they 
should  go  out  of  the  way  to  avoid  the  literal  explanation,  and 
be  satisfied  with  unnatural  and  improbable  speculations. 

13.  There  is  another  passage  on  which  great  reliance  is 
placed,  to  show  that  the  coming  of  Christ  could  not  mean  his 
coming  at  the  end  of  the  world,  Matt.  xvi.  27-28,  compared 
with  Mark  viii.  38,  and  ix.  1,  together  with  Luke  ix.  26-27.* 

Verse  27.  "  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father,  with  his  angels  ;  and  then  shall  he  reward  every 
man  according  to  his  works.  28.  Yerily  I  say  unto  you, 
There  be  some  standing  here  which  shall  not  taste  of  death, 
till  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom." 

Now,  it  is  evident  that  verse  27  does  refer  to  the  coming  to 
the  general  judgment.  And  if  verse  28  refers  to  the  same 
thing,  then  there  is  an  end  of  the  matter :  Christ  came  to 
judgment  —  the  final  judgment  —  while  some  of  those  disci- 
ples were  living  in  this  world !  But  who  will  adopt  this  ? 

*  See  the  whole  passage  harmonized  in  Part  I.,  chap.  8. 


266  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

No  one  who  cares  a  groat  for  his  orthodoxy.  Then  those  who 
are  ever  on  the  lookout  for  figures  must  find  some  other  meth- 
od of  interpretation.  Dr.  Clarke  may  be  selected  as  present- 
ing the  popular  view. 

"  Terse  27.  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father.]  This  seems  to  refer  to  Dan.  vii.  13,  14.  <  Be- 
hold, one  like  the  Son  of  man  came  to  the  Ancient  of  days — 
and  there  was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  king- 
dom, that  all  people,  and  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve 
him.5  This  was  the  glorious  mediatorial  kingdom  which  Jesus 
Christ  was  now  about  to  set  up,  by  the  destruction  of  the  Jew- 
ish nation  and  polity,  and  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel  through 

the  whole  world It  is  very  likely  that  the  words  do 

not  apply  to  the  final  judgment,  to  which  they  are  generally 
referred ;  but  to  the  wonderful  display  of  God's  grace  and 
power  after  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

"  Yerse  28.  There  he  some  —  which  shall  not  taste  of  death.~\ 
This  verse  seems  to  confirm  the  above  explanation,  as  our 
Lord  evidently  speaks  of  the  establishment  of  the  Christian 
church  after  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  its  final  triumph  after 
the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  polity  ;  as  if  he  had  said  — 
'  Some  of  you,  my  disciples,  shall  continue  to  live  until  these 
things  take  place.'  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the 
Jewish  economy,  which  our  Lord  here  predicts,  took  place 
about  forty-three  years  after  this  ;  and  some  of  the  persons 
now  with  him,  doubtless  survived  that  period,  and  witnessed 
the  extension  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,"  &c. 

It  will  be  readily  seen  that  Dr.  Clarke  does  not  admit  that 
verse  27  refers  to  the  judgment  advent.  He  supposes  it  to  re- 
fer to  the  setting  up  of  the  mediatorial  kingdom.  In  this  he 
differs  from  most  other  divines,  who,  nevertheless,  agree  with 
him  in  the  adoption  of  the  figurative  theory  of  exegesis  in  the 
main. 

A  sufficient  answer  to  Dr.  Clarke's  view  may  be  found  in 
the  Exposition  of  Richard  Watson. 

"  Yerse  27.  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory,  &c. 
In  the  full  manifested  glory  of  the  Godhead,  accompanied  by 
the  whole  host  of  holy  angels ;  in  strange  contrast  to  his  then 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  267 

humble  condition,  surrounded  by  a  few  poor  disciples,  despised 

and  rejected  of  men ! That  these  words  relate,  not 

to  the  setting  up  of  his  mediatorial  kingdom,  as  predicted  by 
Daniel,  nor,  figuratively,  to  his  coming  to  judge  the  nation  of 
the  Jews,  is  most  evident  from  what  follows :  And  then  he 
will  reward  every  man  according  to  his  works.  This  is  not  an 
act  of  gracious  mediation,  but  of  strict  judgment ;  so  that  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  the  fullness  of  his  glory,  as  mediator,  could - 
not  be  intended  ;  nor  is  a  national  judgment  a  rewarding  of 
every  or  each  man  according  to  his  work  ;  for  sinners  of  widely 
different  degrees  of  delinquency  are  involved  in  the  same 
public  calamities,  and  the  comparatively  innocent  share  the 
penalty  equally  with  the  most  guilty.  Besides,  those  who  ap- 
ply this  to  the  desolation  of  Judea  by  the  Romans,  which  was 
no  doubt  a  judicial  act  of  Christ  in  his  exalted  state,  ought  to 
show  how  the  pious  and  faithful,  as  well  as  the  wicked,  were 
then  rewarded  ;  which  is  undoubtedly  intended  in  rendering 
to  '  every  man  according  to  his  works.'  The  passage  has 
clearly  no  meaning  but  as  it  refers  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
and  the  general  judgment ;  for  then,  only,  can  those  be  fully 
rewarded  who  have  laid  down  their  lives  for  the  sake  of 
Christ,*  one  of  the  subjects  on  which  he  had  been  discours- 
ing, and  which  stands  intimately  connected  with  these  words. 
Verse  28.  Till  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom. 
That  this  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  relates  to  the  setting  up 
of  the  mediatorial  kingdom  of  Christ  in  its  fullness  and  per- 
fection, is  as  certain  as  that  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  in 
the  preceding  verse  relates  to  his  second  advent  as  Judge. 
The  parallel  places  sufficiently  explain  the  meaning.  St. 
Luke  says,  '  Till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God  ;'  and  St.  Mark, 
6  Till  they  have  seen  the  kingdom  of  God  come  with  power.' 
*The  kingdom  of  Christ,'  <the  kingdom  of  God,'  and  <the 
kingdom  of  heaven,'  are  all  phrases  used  to  express  the  gos- 
pel dispensation,  or  Christian  economy Those  com- 
mentators who  apply  these  words  to  the  judicial  visitation  of 
the  Jewish  nation,  and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  adopt  an 


268  HAKitONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

interpretation  which  is  wholly  forbidden  by  the  parallel  pla- 
ces from  Mark  and  Luke,  above  referred  to ;  for  how  that 
direful  event  could  be  the  '  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
with  power,'  is  utterly  inconceivable,  when  the  established 
sense  of  the  phrase,  '  The  kingdom  of  God,'  as  used  in  the 
gospels,  is  considered." 

14.  These  extracts  are  characteristic  of  the  clear  discrimi- 
nation and  powerful  logic  of  that  great  modern  divine,  RICH- 
AKD  WATSON.  Whenever  he  brought  a  subject  to  the  test  of 
Ms  own  personal  examination,  and  did  not  rely  upon  others, 
his  own  almost  infallible  judgment  in  logic  and  divinity  gui- 
ded him  to  sound  conclusions.  But  when  he  depended  upon 
the  testimony  and  researches  of  others  —  as  he  unfortunately 
did  in  his  adoption  of  the  errors  which  have  already  been 
pointed  out  in  his  annotations  on  the  24th  chapter  of  Matthew 
— then  he,  of  course,  was  as  liable  to  mistakes  as  those  whom 
he  followed,  without  personal  examination  of  the  matters  of 
which  they  treated.  He  could  not  fully  adopt  the  figurative 
theory  ;  but  he  appears  all  along  to  be  more  or  less  trammel- 
ed by  it.  He  may  be  regarded  as  a  good  specimen  of  what 
is  known  as  the  "  double  sense"  expositor.  He  applies  —  in 
almost  every  case — the  passages  relating  to  the  judgment 
advent  to  their  appropriate  subjects,  in  a  clear  and  decided 
manner,  but  frequently  seems  to  hesitate  to  break  entirely 
loose  from  the  fanciful  methods  of  interpreting  these  portions 
of  the  Bible  ;  and  in  trying  to  keep  within  the  limits  of  the 
figurative  theory,  he  has,  as  might  have  been  expected,  exhib- 
ited weaknesses  and  inconsistencies  in  his  generally  unsur- 
passed annotations  on  those  portions  of  the  divine  word. 
i.  It  will  be  safe  to  leave  the  explanation  of  Matt.  xvi.  27,  28, 
as  he  has  most  convincingly  presented  it.  It  may  be  ob- 
served, however,  that  the  language  applied  to  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  in  his  kingdom,  is  not  at  all  similar  to  the 
30th  verse  of  Matt,  xxiv.,  which  is  *now  before  us.  In  the 
verse  in  Matt,  xxiv.,  we  have  the  appearance  of  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  heaven;  but  there  is  nothing  of  this  in  the 
other.  We  have  also  the"  declaration  that  all  the  tribes  of  the 
earth  shall  see  him  commg  m  the  doMds  of  heaven  y  but  there 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  269 

is  nothing  of  this  in  the  other.     To  see  him  "  coming  in  his 
kingdom,"  or  his  "  kingdom  come  with  power,"  or  to  see  the 
"  kingdom  of  God,"  is  a  very  different  thing,  indeed,  from 
seeing  Christ  himself  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with 
all  the  angels  of  God.     And,  besides,  this  is  seen  by  all  the 
tribes  of  the  earth  ;    but  that  is  restricted  to  them  :    "  There 
be  some  standing  here,  which  shall  not  taste  of  death  until 
they  see  the  kingdom  of  God  come  with  power."     Then,  in 
the  passage  in  the  2-ith  chapter,  there  is  the  sound  of  the 
trumpet,  the  gathering  of  the  elect  from  the  four  winds,  and, 
in  verses  following,  many  other  circumstances  which  clearly 
show  that  there  is  no  parallelism  between  the  two  passages. 
The  27th  verse  of  the  former  passage  is  parallel  with  the  lat- 
ter as  far  as  it  goes ;  the  28th  verse  is  not  parallel  at  all. 
There  is,  indeed,  the  resemblance  of  a  word  or  two,  and,  per- 
haps, of  an  idea  or  two ;  but  beyond  this  the  parallelism  is 
not  perceivable.     It  is  certain,  then,  that  there  is  a  sense  in 
which  Christ  is  said  to  "  come  in  his  kingdom,"  which  has  no 
reference  whatever  either  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  or 
to  the  judgment  day.     But  the  kingdom  spoken  of  is  not  the 
kingdom  usually  spoken  of  by  the  prophets  and  others,  where 
the  Messiah  sits  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  reigns  over 
the  house  of  Jacob  ;  for  David  was  in  no  sense  a  type  or 
forerunner  of  Christ,  in  his  mediatorial  office,  but  only  in  his 
kingly  office.     Christ,  as  mediator,  now  sits  at  the  right  hand 
of  God,  being  made  head  over  all  things  to  the  church.     And 
his  present  dominion   is  certainly   called   a  kingdom.     But 
all  this  may  consist  with  the  literal  fulfillment  of  those  many 
predictions  of  a  future  kingdom,  when  the  present  dispen- 
sation of   mediation  has  passed  away.     By  not  discrimina- 
ting between  these  two  kingdoms,  or  the  same  dominion  in 
two  widely    different   dispensations,  —  and  by   confounding 
together  the  passages  of  Scripture  which  relate  to  the  two 
respectively,   great  confusion  has  prevailed  in  the  church, 
and  our  Expositions   of   the    sacred  word  have    been   per- 
plexed, contradictory,  and  unsatisfying.     The  two  verses  in 
Matt,  xvi.,  then,  as  Mr.  Watson  has  most  convincingly  prov- 
ed, relate  to  things  very  different  in  nature,  and  widely  sep- 


270  fiARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

arated  in  fulfillment.  And  it  is  not  objectionable  that  verses 
relating  to  such  very  different  times  and  things  should  be 
found  in  such  close  connection.  The  one  naturally  suggested 
the  other,  as  in  many  other  instances  where  other  things  as 
dissimilar  were  spoken  of.  Take,  for  a  convenient  example, 
John  v.  25-29,  where  a  spiritual,  and  the  literal  resurrections 
are  both  referred  to. 

15.  Some  divines,  both  ancient  and  modern,  suppose  Matt, 
xvi.  28  refers  to  the  transfiguration  of  Christ  a  few  days  after, 
when  he  took  Peter,  and  James,  and  John  up  into  the  moun- 
tain to  meet  Moses  and  Elias.  By  referring  to  1  Pet.  i.  16-18, 
the  argument  is  made  very  plausible :  Yerse  16.  "  For  we 
have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables,  when  we  made 
known  unto  you  the  power  and  COMING  of  OUT  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  lut  were  EYE-WITNESSES  OF  HIS  MAJESTY.  17.  For  he 
received  from  God  the  Father,  honor  and  glory,  when  there 
came  such  a  voice  to  him  from  the  excellent  glory,  '  This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.'  18.  And  this  voice 
which  came  from  heaven  we  heard,  when  we  were  with  him 
in  the  holy  mount" 

The  explanation  derived  from  this  remarkable  passage  is 
not  to  be  contemned  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  to  be  as  natural 
as  the  one  adopted  by  "Watson,  and  in  its  essential  features, 
quoted  above. 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION,  271 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Principal  subject  —  THE  COMESTG  OF  CHRIST.     REVIEW  OF  THE 
FIGURATIVE  THEORY. 

Remarkable  Exposition  —  Its  Objectionable  Character  —  Defectiveness,  even 
if  the  Text  be  Figurative  —  Common  Rules  of  Interpretation  Reversed  — 
No  Parallel  Texts,  with  one  exception,  in  the  Old  Testament — The  Point 
to  be  proved  —  No  Historic  Proof  of  the  Figurative  Theory  —  Inconsistent 
with  Christ's  Mediatorial  Offices  —  A  Word  for  Universalists  —  Character 
of  the  Mediatorial  Dispensation — Fatal  Results — Self-contradiction  —  Va- 
riance with  the  Words  of  Christ — Ingenious  Evasion — Singular  Logic  — 
Embarrassment  of  Commentators  —  How  Occasioned  —  Dr.  Tower's  Opinion 
—  Dr.  Campbell's  —  Dr.  Mede's  —  Tense  of  the  Saviour's  words. 

Verse  30.  AND  THERE  SHALL  APPEAR  THE  SIGN  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  IN  HEAVEN  : 

AND  THEN  SHALL  ALL  THE  TRIBES  OF  THE  EARTH  MOURN,  AND  THEY  SHALL  SEE  THE  SON 
OF  MAN  COMING  IN  THE  CLOUDS  OF  HEAVEN,  WITH  POWER  AND  GREAT  GLORY. 

"  THE  plain  meaning  of  it  is,  that  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem will  be  such  a  remarkable  instance  of  divine  vengeance, 
such  a  signal  manifestation  of  Christ's  power  and  glory,  that 
all  the  Jewish  tribes  shall  mourn,  and  many  will  be  led  from 
thence  to  acknowledge  Christ  and  the  Christian  religion.  In 
the  ancient  prophets,  God  is  frequently  described  as  coming 
in  the  clouds,  upon  any  remarkable  interposition  and  mani- 
festation of  his  power ;  and  the  same  description  is  here  ap- 
plied to  Christ.  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  will  be  as 
ample  a  manifestation  of  Christ's  power  and  glory,  as  if  he 
was  to  come  himself  visibly  in  the  clouds  of  heaven." — New- 
ton on  the  Prophecies. 

However  remarkable  these  declarations  may  appear,  as  a 
comment  on  the  passage  before  us,  yet  they  express  the  pres- 
ent usual  method  of  expounding  these  words  of  our  Lord. 
•Nearly  all  our  commentators,  as,  e.  g.,  Dr.  Whitby,  Dr. 
Clarke,  Dr.  Warburton,  adopt  this  method  in  full.  Mr.  Bur- 
kitt,  Mr.  Watson,  Mr.  Barnes,  and  several  others,  likewise 
adopt  it,  but  connect  it  with  a  supposition  that  the  passage 


272  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

also  refers  to  the  day  of  judgment.  The  comment  of  New- 
ton, quoted  above,  may  be  considered  as  expressing,  with 
some  modifications,  the  usual  modern  understanding  of  this 
matter,  so  far  as  the  Commentaries  give  expression  and  direction 
to  the  general  mind.  To  this  method  of  explaining  the  text, 
there  are  many  and  weighty  objections. 

1.  It  is  an  exceedingly  indefinite  exposition  of  a  very  defi- 
nite prediction.  The  passage  contains  several  distinctly  named 
particulars,  arranged  in  a  definite  order  of  succession ;  and 
perfectly  corresponds,  in  its  literary  character,  with  preceding 
and  succeeding  portions  that  are  strictly  literal,  not  only  as  a 
whole,  but  in  respect  also  to  their  individual  sentences.  But 
this  figurative  exposition  does  not  define  anything  with  clear- 
ness, pays  little  or  no  regard  to  the  arrangement  of  the  suc- 
cessive parts,  and  leaves  the  mind  with  no  distinct  impression 
of  anything  that  appropriately  develops  or  confirms  the  sen- 
timents of  the  prediction.  It  is,  to  all  intents,  indefiniteness 
from  beginning  to  end ;  and  is,  nevertheless,  intended  as  a 
comment  upon  a  passage  that  is  particular  and  definite 
throughout.  What  the  text  means  as  a  whole,  the  comment 
is  very  positive  in  asserting ;  but  what  its  individual  parts 
mean,  it  might  not  be  easy  to  determine !  We  can  give  the 
solution  of  the  problem :  but,  alas,  we  cannot  tell  what  its 
component  figures  are ! 

Now,  even  if  the  passage  were  confessedly  figurative,  we 
should  be  bound  to  suppose  that  each  distinct  subject  intro- 
duced was  intended  for  some  distinct  application ;  as,  e.  g.,  that 
the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  does  not  mean  the  Son  of  man 
himself,  but  something  that  refers  to  him,  and  in  some  way 
represents  him  ;  for  the  sign  must  be  different  from  the  thing 
signified.  But  this  figurative  expression  pays  almost  no  re- 
gard to  this  important  matter ;  but,  to  a  great  extent,  con- 
founds things  together  with  no  discrimination  between  signs 
and  things  signified.  But  this  is  of  vast  importance  in  the 
exegesis  of  figurative  language  ;  so  that,  even  supposing  the 
passage  to  be  metaphorical,  this  exposition  does  not  expound 
it  in  accordance  with  any  well  defined  principle  of  interpre- 
tation. If  the  text  treated  of  matters  of  no  importance,  such 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  273 

loose  methods  might  be  tolerated,  perhaps;  but  the  subjects 
treated  are  vastly  important.  Yet  the  moment  the  attempt  is 
made  to  show  what  is  signified  by  the  sign,  that  moment  con- 
fusion marks  the  exposition.  Nothing  but  the  most  indefinite, 
general  statements,  and  without  proofs,  too,  can  be  trusted  in 
the  application. 

And  we  must  be  compelled  to  suppose  that  our  Lord  was, 
in  this  part  of  his  discourse,  a  mere  rhapsodist,  speaking  with- 
out distinct  ideas,  and  without  definite  arrangement,  meaning 
much  in  the  general,  and  little  or  nothing  in  the  particular ; 
—  we  must  come  to  this  conclusion,  if  we  admit  that  such  in- 
definite and  irresponsible  expositions  do  justice  to  the  predic- 
tion. In  the  preceding  verse,  the  figuratist  professes  to  find 
an  application  for  each  individual  idea :  the  sun,  the  moon, 
the  stars,  all  mean  something.  The  darkening,  the  falling, 
and  the  shaking  of  the  luminaries  of  heaven,  all  mean  some- 
thing. And  he  has  at  hand  an  application  for  the  whole,  as  a 
whole,  and  for  the  parts,  as  parts.  Viewing  the  passage  as 
figurative,  he  is  consistent  with  himself:  his  common  sense, 
without  much  proficiency,  perhaps,  in  the  knowledge  of 
of  literary  rules,  guides  him  to  such  conclusions.  He  there- 
by saves  the  Lord  from  being  a  mere  rhapsodist,  carried  be- 
yond all  literary  propriety,  by  the  ungovernable  excitement 
of  his  own  ardency. 

But  when  the  figuratist  attempts  to  apply  his  rules  to  the 
explication  of  the  several  parts  of  the  passage  under  notice, 
he  finds  himself  in  as  much  difficulty  as  the  Universalist  does, 
when  he  undertakes  to  apply  the  various  parts  of  the  so-called 
parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus.  What  it  means  as  a 
whole,  is  very  clear  to  him ;  but  what  is  meant  by  its  several 
parts,  is  yet  to  be  discovered !  In  the  meantime,  let  him  who 
has — not  the  best  understanding  of  literary  rules  —  but  the 
most  ingenious  fancy,  take  the  lead  in  search  after  the  hidden 
idea! 

So,  in  relation  to  this  part  of  our  Lord's  prophecy :  it  re- 
quires the  utmost  ingenuity  —  not  a  sober,  common  sense  un- 
derstanding of  literary  propriety — to  make  anything  out  of 
it,  treated  as   a  figurative   description   of  something  else. 
18 


274:  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

There  are  no  well  ascertained  facts,  and  no  evident  scriptural 
example,  to  suggest  to  the  common  mind  the  application  of 
the  several  parts.  It  is  judged  to  be  figurative  —  not  because 
it  may  not  be  literal,  but  because  it  is  associated  with  other 
passages  which  are  also  supposed  to  be  figurative.  And  even 
these  other  passages  would  not  contradict  either  fact  or  Scrip- 
ture, if  they  should  be  interpreted  literally,  as  has  been  shown 
in  previous  chapters. 

In  the  usual  treatment  of  this  passage,  the  ground  of  pro- 
cedure is  —  not  virtually  merely,  but  really  • —  that  the  estab- 
lished rules  of  interpretation  must  be  reversed,  and,  instead  of 
concluding  that  the  passage  is  literal,  until  it  improved  to  be 
figurative,  it  must  be  regarded  as  figurative  until  it  is  proved 
to  be  literal !  And  this  is  the  principal  source  of  the  indefi- 
niteness  and  difficulty  that  characterize  this,  and  all  other  fig- 
urative expositions  of  this  part  of  the  prophecy.  This  text 
has  none  of  the  characteristics  of  figurative  language,  and 
there  are  no  well  ascertained  facts  that  suggest  themselves  to 
the  common  mind,  as  the  things  signified  by  what  are  consider- 
ed as  merely  signs.  The  text  is  undeniably  definite  in  all  its 
parts,  and  the  comment  is  as  undeniably  of  the  opposite 
character. 

2.  To  this  figurative  interpretation  it  is  further  objected, 
that  it  is  not  warranted  ~by  a  single  scriptural  example.     As 
this  point  has  been  sufficiently  treated  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter, it  will  not  be  necessary  to  enlarge  upon  it  here. 

One  would  suppose,  from  the  confident  assertions  of  figura- 
tists,  that  such  descriptions  as  this  text  contains  are  very  fre- 
quent in  the  Old  Testament,  and  are  very  commonly  applied 
to  extraordinary  manifestations  of  divine  power.  Well,  now, 
here  is  the  Bible,  within  reach  of  every  man ;  if  there  is  a 
similar  description  to  be  found  in  the  Old  Testament,  it  can- 
not take  long  to  discover  it :  let  it  be  found  and  compared  with 
this;  and  so  annihilate  this  objection.  The  text  in  Dan.  vii. 
13,  is  admitted  to  be  similar,  to  some  extent ;  but  the  figura- 
tist  will  not  bring  that  up  as  parallel  in  its  application  with 
his  supposition  of  the  text  in  Matthew. 

3.  It  is  objected,  again,  that  the  figurative  exposition  and 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  275 

application  is  not  sustained  l>y  a  single  fact.  Yet  it  is,  in  its 
very  nature,  a  question  of  fact.  And  Providence  has  wisely 
so  ordered  it  that  an  unimpeachable  historian  was  raised  up, 
qualified,  and  wonderfully  preserved,  as  if  on  purpose  to  re- 
cord, with  tiresome  particularity  and  profusion,  the  facts  that 
were  developed  during  the  fulfillment  of  the  times  which  the 
figuratist  supposes  to  be  alluded  to  here.  And  there  were 
not  wanting  other  historians,  heathen,  Jewish,  and  Christian, 
whose  pages  are  filled  with  matter  pertaining  to  these  times. 

The  fact  to  be  proved  is  this  —  that  the  judgment  visitation 
of  the  Jews  at  that  time,  was,  to  "  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth," 
such  a  manifestation,  not  of  common  Providence  —  but  of 
"  the  Son  of  man"  that  "  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  "  (or  land,  if 
any  prefer)  should  mourn  at  this  revelation,  as  if  they  beheld 
the  Son  of  man  visibly  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  In  the 
very  nature  of  the  case — to  do  anything  like  justice  to  the 
text — that  visitation  should  be  so  unlike  all  preceding  ones,  and 
so  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  to  affect 
the  people  —  even  those  that  were  not  believers  in  him  pre- 
viously—  (for  none  but  such  would  mourn  at  the  sight  of  him) 
as  if  they  personally  witnessed  his  descent  from  heaven. 

The  figuratist  may  perhaps  shrink  from  this  definite  state- 
ment of  the  fact  in  question  :  he  wishes  to  have  the  matter  so 
indefinite  that  almost  anything  will  pass  for  proof.  But  if 
the  text  does  not  warrant  and  require  this  definiteness,  then 
it  does  not  warrant  anything.  "To  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony." 

And  even  this  definiteness  is  assumed  by  some  of  the  figu- 
ratists  themselves  :  Bishop  Newton  says,  "  The  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  will  be  as  ample  a  manifestation  of  Christ's  pow- 
er and  glory,  as  if  he  was  himself  to  come  visibly  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven."  Dr.  Clarke  says,  in  substance,  the  same  thing, 
quoting  from  Newton,  and  somewhat  modifying.  Mr.  Wat- 
son says  the  same  thing,  with  the  exception  that  he  takes  the 
liberty  01  substituting,  against  the  plain  words  of  the  passage, 
the  word  "  Christians,"  in  place  of  "  all  the  tribes  of  the 
earth."  His  words  are,  "  The  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  is  that 
demonstration  of  the  supernatural  character  of  the  judicial 


276  HABMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

visitation  of  the  Jews,  that  to  the  Christians  it  should  be  a8 
sure  a  sign  that  it  was  Christ  who  was  then  inflicting  his  ven- 
geance upon  his  enemies,  as  though  there  should  be  a  visible 
appearance  of  him."  If  this  substitution  of  the  word  Chris- 
tians, and  entirely  omitting  the  characters  who  should  mourn 
as  they  see  the  Son  of  man,  is  not  a  clear  misconception  of 
the  whole  scope  of  the  passage,  then  it  would  be  difficult  to 
define  a  misconception.  To  such  dreadful  consequences  has 
the  labor  of  defending  the  figurative  theory  driven  the  wisest 
and  best  of  men. 

Now,  with  the  question  at  issue  thus  definitely  settled,  that 
the  judgments  then  inflicted  upon  the  Jews  did  thus  manifest 
the  power  and  glory  of  Jesus  Christ,  so  that  the  effect  was  as  if 
he  himself  had  been  seen  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, — it  is 
again  objected,  that  there  is  not  one  clear  instance  of  historic 
proof  brought  to  substantiate  the  point  asserted.  Men  of  the 
largest  capacity,  and  of  the  most  astonishing  industry,  with  a 
zeal  almost  unparalleled  in  any  other  department  of  research, 
have  devoted  months  and  years  to  this  very  subject;  and 
where  is  the  first  historical  fact  that  they  have  adduced  to 
prove  a  question  which,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  must  be  de- 
cided by  fact,  if  it  is  decided  at  all  ?  Where  are  their  proofs? 
The  defenders  of  the  figurative  theory  were  generally  men  of 
keen  penetration,  and  logical  accuracy ;  and  they  have  not 
failed  to  perceive  the  exact  nature  of  the  thing  to  be  main- 
tained. Why,  then,  have  they  brought  forward  nothing  but 
assertion — bare  assertion  —  to  prove  a  point  so  evidently  vital 
to  their  whole  system  of  exegesis  ? 

This  is  a  dreadful  state  of  things  ;  and,  especially,  when,  in 
this  way,  men  venture  to  explain  away  the  most  definite  and 
literal  of  all  the  prophecies  of  the  Bible,  so  that,  in  effect,  they 
are  dead.  Let  every  man  clear  himself  in  this  matter  !  There 
is  a  cry  of  blood  from  the  ground !  These  slain  witnesses  — 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments  —  that  have  lain  unburied  in 
the  midst  of  us,  are  destined  to  have  a  resurrection. 

4.  To  this  method  of  interpretation,  it  is  objected  still  fur- 
ther,—  that  the  character  it  necessarily  ascribes  to  Christ  is 
inconsistent  with  his  present  offices.  The  only  thing  in  which 


HAEMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  277 

the  calamities  of  the  Jews,  at  the  time  in  question,  differed 
from  former  and  subsequent  afflictions  of  the*same  kind,  was 
their  greater  severity.  "  For  then  shall  be  great  tribulation, 
such  as  was  not  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time, 
no,  nor  ever  shall  be."  And  this  is  the  only  probable  differ- 
ence between  the  judgments  of  that  period  and  those  of  other 
days  :  they  were  not  in  nature  different,  but  in  degree. 

No  one  ever  supposed  that  previous  desolations  had  been 
manifestations  of  Christ,  as  distinguished  from  other  persons 
in  the  Godhead  :  no  one  will  venture  to  point  out  any  espe- 
cial revelation  of  Christ,  as  the  Son  of  man,  in  the  present 
manifestations  of  divine  wrath.  On  what,  then,  can  Bishop 
Newton  and  his  followers  base  their  opinion,  that  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Jews,  at  the  time  in  question,  was  as  much  a  man- 
ifestation of  Christ,  as  if  he  had  been  seen  coming  down  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven.  How  were  those  sufferings,  and  that  deso- 
lation peculiar,  except  in  being  more  terrible,  and  longer  con- 
tinued? And  is  this,  only  this — the  distinguishing  feature  of 
Christ,  so  that  when  this  is  witnessed,  it  is  as  if  the  Son  of 
man  himself  were  seen  with  all  his  power  and  glory  in 
heaven  ? 

Now,  to  this,  it  is  objected,  that  the  character  necessarily 
ascribed  to  Christ  is  inconsistent  with  his  present  relations  to 
the  human  race  —  Jew  as  well  as  Gentile.  It  is  the  dispen- 
sation of  grace,  not  of  judgment.  LET  THE  UNIVEKSALISTS  EE- 
MEMBER  THIS  !  We  are  living  under  the  Mediatorial  dispen- 
sation, in  which  Christ  sustains  a  peculiar  relation  to  the 
human  race  ;  and  which  relation  originates  appropriate  offices. 
"We  may  easily  learn  what  is  Christ's  peculiar  office  and  work, 
in  this  dispensation,  by  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures.  "  God 
sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world  ;  ~but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  he  saved."  John  iii.  17. 
For  this  object  he  labored  all  his  life,  as  he  "  went  about  doing 
good,"  both  to  the  bodies  and  to  the  souls  of  men.  When  he 
died,  he  died  as  the  world's  Redeemer,  having  the  same  object 
in  view  that  he  had  when  he  "  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost ;"  for  it  was  only  by  death  that  he  could  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  bestowinent  of  mercy  upon  the  guilty, 


278  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

whom  lie  came  to  redeem.  And  when  he  rose  from  the  dead, 
he  still  had-his^)wn  appropriate  work  to  accomplish :  he  was 
raised  for  our  justification.  And  when  he  ascended  to  heav- 
en, he  still  had  his  own  peculiar  work,  as  the  world's  Media- 
tor, to  accomplish  there :  he  was  to  "  appear  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  us."  He  was  exalted  "  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  FOR  TO 

GIVE  REPENTANCE  TO  ISRAEL,  AND  FORGIVENESS  OF  SINS."    Acts  V.  31. 

This  is  his  peculiar  work,  during  the  present  dispensation, 
as  the  "  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man."  "  He  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us."  "  If  any  man  sin,  we 
have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father."  If  we  receive  the  Spirit, 
or  any  other  favor,  it  is  through  his  mediation.  But  it  forms 
no  part  of  his  appropriate  work  to  administer  wrath,  or  pur- 
sue his  enemies  with  vengeance.  If  vengeance  overtake  men, 
Christ  has  no  agency  in  bringing  it  about.  His  work  during 
this  dispensation  is  saving  men  ;  and  it  is  his  only  work :  it  is 
wholly,  so  far  as  Jesus  is  concerned,  a  dispensation  of  grace* 
And  this  doctrine  is  understood  by  all  the  orthodox  churches. 
It  is  the  great  bulwark  against  Universalism  and  open  infidel- 
ity. We  sing  it,  and  preach  it,  and  pray  it,  and  give  thanks 
for  it,  and  in  every  possible  way  testify  our  rejoicing  and 
hope  in  this  doctrine.  Now,  to  say  that  an  unparalleled  ex- 
hibition of  divine  vengeance  is  such  a  manifestation  of  the 
Son  of  man,  that  it  exhibits  his  power  and  glory,  as  the 
Son  of  man,  as  much  as  if  he  was  himself  to  come  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  is  saying  (to  speak  mildly,)  what  no  ortho- 
dox divine  will  say,  unless  he  is  terribly  bewildered  by  an 
erroneous  theory.  And  for  this  reason  the  figurative  theory 
of  interpreting  the  passage  before  us  is  objected  to. 

To  maintain  the  figurative  interpretation,  we  are  required, 
(1.)  To  violate  the  most  essential  laws  of  literary  criticism  ; 
(2.)  To  adopt  such  an  interpretation  without  one  clear  exam- 
ple in  the  Scriptures ;  (3.)  Without  a  solitary  proof  from  au- 
thentic history  ;  and,  (4.)  At  the  sacrifice  of  the  very  foun- 
dation principles  of  orthodoxy.  If  this  is  not  enough  to  blast 
with  perpetual  withering  any  theory  whatever,  it  is  difficult 
to  know  what  is  capable  of  doing  it. 

*See  Appendix,  J^ote  G. 


HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION.  279 

5.  The  figurative  theory  is  objected  to,  also,  because  it  is  at 
variance  with  itself,  and  diametrically  opposed  to  the  distinct 
affirmation  of  Christ  himself.  So  that  if  this  can  be  shown, 
the  theory  must  be  unworthy  of  countenance,  even  if  all  the 
previous  objections  could  be  answered. 

The  advocates  of  the  figurative  theory  assume. 

First.  That  the  darkening  of  the  heavenly  luminaries  refers 
to  the  destruction  and  desolation  of  the  Jewish  ecclesiastical 
and  civil  polity.  Yerse  29  is  thus  explained  : 

DR.  WHITBY.  "  All  the  government  both  in  church  and 
state  shall  be  overthrown,  as  it  was  by  the  zealots."  "  It  be- 
ing foretold  that  this  should  happen  immediately  after*  the 
wasting  of  the  Jews  by  Vespasian's  army  flying  quickly 
through  Galilee,  Idumea,  and  Judea ;  this  cannot  be  taken 
literally,  because  no  such  thing  then  happened  either  to  the 
sun,  moon,  or  stars.  It  must  be  therefore  a  metaphorical  ex- 
pression, to  signify,  as  it  doth  frequently  in  the  Old  Testament, 
and  other  writers,  an  utter  desolation,  and  terrible  destruction 
brought  upon  a  nation,  and  upon  their  capital  cities,  compar- 
ed to  the  sun  and  moon,"  &c. 

DR.  CLARKE.  "  Commentators  generallyf  understand  this 
and  what  follows,  of  the  end  of  the  world  :  but  the  word  im- 
mediately shows  that  our  Lord  is  not  speaking  of  any  distant 
event,  but  of  something  immediately  consequent  on  calamities 
already  predicted  :  and  that  must  be  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem." Then  quoting  from 

DR.  LIGHTFOOT.     "  The  Jewish  heaven  shall  perish,  and  the 
sun  and  moon  of  its  glory  and  happiness  shall  be  darkened  — • 
brought  to  nothing.     The  sun  is  the  religion  of  the  church  ;    v 
the  moon  is  the  government  of  the  state  ;  and  the  stars  are 
the  judges  and  doctors  of  both." 

BISHOP  NEWTON  advances  precisely  the  same  opinion  as  Dr. 
Clarke  ;  indeed,  the  principal  part  of  Dr.  Clarke's  comment  on 
this  part  of  the  Bible,  is  taken  almost  verbatim  from  Newton. 

MR.  BARNES  adopts  the  same  view. 

*  Dr.  Wliitby  dare  not  leave  the  Lord  to  make  his  own  statement :    he  has 
to  put  words  into  his  mouth. 
f  He  probably  refers  particularly  to  the  more  ancient 


280  HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION. 

ME.  WATSON  takes  the  same  view ;  but  lie  supposes  it  also 
refers  to  the  day  of  judgment. 

PEOF.  STUAKT  understands  the  passage  to  be  figurative,  ap- 
plying to  Jewish  affairs,  without  any  reference  to  the  judg- 
ment day. 

ME.  BUEETTT  adopts  the  theory  of  applying  it  to  the  Jewish 
calamities ;  but  he  is  confused,  self-contradictory,  and  unde- 
cided in  fixing  upon  the  exact  time. 

This  is  sufficient  to  show  the  general  course  of  explaining 
the  phenomena  described  in  the  29th  verse,  —  referring  it  all 
to  the  overthrow  and  desolation  of  the  Jewish  nation  by  the 
Romans. 

Secondly.  These  commentators  understand  the  next  verse, 
(30,)  and  the  29th  verse  to  refer  either  to  the  coming  of  the 
Romans,  or  to  the  coming  (metaphorically,)  of  Christ  with  the 
Romans,  and  effecting  the  destruction  and  desolation  descri- 
bed in  the  27th  verse,  under  the  similitude  of  the  darkening 
and  falling  of  the  luminaries  of  heaven.  But  whichever  way 
it  is  modified,  they  do  not  understand  Christ  to  have  come  in 
any  other  way  than  JUDICIALLY  ~by  the  Romans  to  inflict  these 
terrible  judgments. 

DE.  WHITBY,  on  verses  27,  28,  remarks  :  "  You  will  then 
need  none  to  instruct  you  where  Christ  is,  or  to  say  to  you, 
He  is  here,  or  there ;  for  by  the  Roman  army,  which  shall 
pass  through  the  territories  of  the  Jews  like  lightning,  his 
coming  to  take  vengeance  on  that  nation  shall  be  mam'fest." 
Again,  on  verse  30 :  "  Our  Saviours  coming  here  seems 
therefore  to  impart  his  coming  ~by  the  Roman  army  to  besiege 
and  to  destroy  Jerusalem  and  the  unbelieving  Jews  ;  for  so 
Christ  seemeth  plainly  to  interpret  this  '  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man.'  Verse  27  :  '  The  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  as  the 
lightning  shining  from  east  to  wrest ;  for  wheresoever  the  Jews 
are,  thither  shall  the  Roman  army  be  gathered :  his  coming 
therefore  must  he  with  the  Roman  army" 

DE.  CLAEKE  understands  it  in  the  same  way :  he  thinks  it 
was  a  judicial  coming  ~by  the  Roman  armies.  He  comments 
in  this  way  on  verse  27  even  more  distinctly  than  Dr.  Whit- 
by.  Dr.  Clarke,  in  this  matter,  follows 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  281 

BISHOP  NEWTON,  who  understands  the  coming  to  be  only  a 
judicial  coming  by  the  invasion  and  conquests  of  the  Roman 
armies.  In  this  he  copies  verbatim  from 

BISHOP  PEARCE,  who  should  have  the  credit  of  leading  New- 
ton and  a  host  of  others  in  the  same  conclusion. 

MR.  BARNES  adopts  the  same  conclusion :  Referring  to  the 
28th  verse,  he  says,  "  This  verse  is  connected  with  the  prece- 
ding by  the  word  '  1'  >r,'  implying  that  this  is  a  reason  for  what 
is  said  there,  that  the  Son  of  man  would  certainly  come  to  de- 
stroy the  city,  and  that  he  would  come  suddenly.  The  mean- 
ing is,  he  would  come  ~by  means  of  the  Roman  armies"  &c. 

MR.  WATSON  understands  it  in  the  same  way ;  but  thinks  it 
also  refers  to  the  day  of  j  udgment. 

MR.  BURKITT  in  the  main  agrees  with  Watson. 

These  are  enough  to  show  how  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man,  in  this  place,  is  to  be  understood.  It  is  supposed  to  be 
nothing  separate  from  the  coming  of  the  Roman  armies ;  it 
being  merely  a  judicial  coming  by  that  instrumentality. 

Now,  one  thing  is  absolutely  certain :  If  this  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  was  merely  judicial,  and  by  means  of  the 
Romans -,  it  is  absolutely  certain  that  it  must  have  occurred  at 
the  same  time,  for  it  was,  in  fact,  only  another  view,  and  an- 
other name,  for  the  same  event. 

Thirdly.  We  are  now  prepared  to  maintain  the  objection 
against  this  theory  of  interpretation. 

(1.)  That  it  is  at  variance  with  itself  • 

(2.)  That  it  is  diametrically  opposite  to  the  distinct  affirma- 
tion of  Christ  himself. 

1.  That  cause  is  invariably  antecedent  to  effect,  is  an  axiom 
in  philosophy.     And  it  is  of  universal  application  ;  it  must, 
then,  apply  to  the  subject  in  hand. 

2.  But  the  Roman  armies  were,  under  Providence,  the 
cause  of  this  overthrow  and  desolation  of  the  "sun,  moon, 
and  stars"  —  as  the  figuratist  interprets  it — of  the  Jewish 
people.     This  is  admitted  by  every  one. 

3.  Then,  as  certainly  as  the  certainty  of  an  axiom,  the  Ro- 
mans must  have  come  BEFORE  these  judgments  were  inflicted, 
for  they  were,  under  God,  the  cause  of  them. 


282  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

4.  But  this  method  of  interpretation,  as  it  has  been  shown 
in  the  foregoing  quotations,  maintains  as  a  prominent  feature, 
that  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  was  only  a  judicial  com- 
ing "  ~by  means  of  the  Roman  armies,  to  destroy  Jerusalem, 
and  the  unbelieving  Jews."    Then,  undeniably,  it  took  place 
at  the  same  time — since,  in  fact,  it  was  but  another  view,  and 
another  representation,  of  the  same  thing.     And,  just  as  cer- 
tainly, as  cause  is  before  effect,  his  coming  must  have  occurred 
BEFORE  the  infliction  of  the  judgments  which  RESULTED.     And 
the  judgment  which  resulted  were,  the  overthrow  of  the  Jew- 
ish church,  government,  temple,  and  metropolis. 

5.  But  Christ  distinctly  declares  that  his  coming  would  he 
AFTERWARDS  !     He  first  describes  the  whole  series  and  succes- 
sion of  events,  down  to  the  final  desolation,  including,  as  a 
distinct  feature,  the  gathering  of  the  eagles  to  the  carcass, 
which  the  theory  applies  to  the  coming  of  the  Romans  /  and 
then  goes  on  to  say,  "  Immediately  AFTER  the  tribulation  of 
those  days,  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,"  &c.     "And  THEN"  — 
not  before,  when  the  Romans  came  to  inflict  the  tribulation 
and  overthrow  — "  And  THEN  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  heaven  /  and  THEN  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the 
earth  mourn  ;  and  they  shall  SEE  the  Son  of  man  COMING 
in  the  CLOUDS  OF  HEAVEN  with  power  and  great  glory" 

6.  Was  there  ever  a  contradiction  more  distinct?    The 
theory  teaches  that  the  Son  of  man  came  before  the  infliction 
of  those  judgments.     The  Lord  declares  it  would  be  after- 
wards.   Now,  this  particular  point  will  not  be  pressed  any 
farther :  it  would  be  useless.     The  contradiction  is  so  palpa- 
ble, so  undeniable,  that  if  any  confidence  whatever  is  to  be 
placed  in  the  declarations  of  our  Lord,  the  point  must  be  re- 
garded as  established  —  completely  established.    The  figura- 
tive theory  teaches  what  is  diametrically  at  variance  with  the 
declaration  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

7.  There  is  an  evasion  of  this  issue,  however,  which  will 
develop  the  other  point  in  the  objection,  viz  :  That  the  figura- 
tive theory  is  at  variance  with  itself.     The  effort  has  been 
made  by  several  leading  commentators  to  show  that  the 
"  coming "  spoken  of  in  the  30th  verse  is  not,  in  fact,  the 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  283 

coming  it  is  usually  understood  to  be,  but  only  the  evidence 
or  manifestation  of  the  coming,  judicially  by  the  Romans, 
which  was  not  so  clearly  discovered  during  the  progress  of 
the  execution  of  the  judgments  ;  but  now,  "  after  the  tribula- 
tion of  those  days,"  after  the  darkening  of  the  "  sun,"  "  moon," 
and  "  stars"  of  the  Jewish  nation,  the  fact  that  it  was  all 
effected  by  the  judicial  "coming  of  the  Son  of  man,"  "by 
means  of  the  Roman  armies,"  will  be  such  a  manifestation  of 
Christ  to  the  people,  that  it  may  be  represented  by  his  "  com- 
ing in  the  clouds  of  heaven ! " 

8.  Now,  this  is,  in  fact,  a  virtual  abandonment  of  the  essen- 
tial elements  of  the  figurative  theory.  It  is,  in  truth,  admit- 
ting that  the  most  particular  statement  and  description  of  the 
coming  of  Christ  means  neither  the  coming  of  Christ  person- 
ally^ nor  his  coming  judicially,  "  by  means  of  the  Roman 
armies  ; "  but  merely  that,  after  his  coming,  some  length  of 
time  after,  the  EVIDENCE  of  that  coming  shall  "  come,"  and  be 
so  clear  and  convincing,  that  it  shall  be  as  if  Christ  himself 
were  then  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  ! 

What  then,  let  it  be  asked,  with  all  seriousness,  becomes  of 
their  fond  speculations  about  the  "  coming  of  the  Son  of  man, 
by  means  of  the  Roman  armies,"  being  as  the  lightning  flash- 
ing from  east  to  west,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other  ? 
All  this  metaphorizing,  and  rhapsodizing,  in  the  comment  on 
the  27th  verse,  about  the  coming  of  Christ,  by  the  Roman 
armies,  being  like  the  sudden,  startling,  blinding,  flashing 
lightning,  amounts  to  nothing  :  when  he  came  at  that  time,  as 
the  theory  maintains,  the  people  do  not  appear  to  have  had 
any  intimation  that  there  was  any  Christ  about  it ;  but,  some- 
time afterwards,  after  all  the  results  of  that  coming  had  been 
effected,  then,  yes,  then  the  remnant  that  survived  the  over- 
throw of  the  nation,  suddenly  awoke  to  the  conviction  that 
all  this  had  been  accomplished,  some  how  or  other,  by  the 
"  coming  of  the  Son  of  man"  though  they  were  not  impressed 
with  the  fact  at  the  time !  But  now,  so  truly  had  he  come  in 
"secret,"  in  the  "secret  chambers,"  in  the  "  desert,"  just  as 
Christ  had  forewarned  them  that  he  would -SOT  come, — now, 
the  astonished  people,  the  few  that  are  left,  wake  up  to  the 


284:  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

terrible  impression  that  the  Lord  had  come  down  in  terrible 
majesty,  and  they  knew  it  not ! 

Now,  after  all  this,  they  just  begin  to  see  him!  His  sign 
appears  in  the  heavens  !  They  now  see  him  —  no,  not  him  — 
but  the  fact,  the  proof,  or  whatever  else  it  may  be  called — 
they  now  behold,  as  if  it  were  the  actual  coming  of  the  Lord 
himself  in  the  clouds  of  heaven !  Well  done !  Splendid 
theory !  Making  out  that  the  coming  of  the  LORD,  "  l)y  means 
of  the,  Roman  armies"  was  so  evident,  so  sudden,  so  much 
like  the  flashing  lightning,  that  all  the  poetic  and  hyperboli- 
cal expressions  found  in  the  Old  Testament  could  hardly 
suffice  to  convey  an  adequate  idea  of  its  "  power,"  "  glory," 
and  "  public  majesty  ; "  and  then  —  oh  consistency !  the  peo- 
ple unapprised  of  it!  and,  months  or  years  after,  a  surviving 
remnant  suddenly  awake  to  the  appalling  assurance  that  the 
Son  of  man  HAD  COME  !  that  he  came  so  many  years  or  months 
ago  !  Now,  not  really,  not  as  a  present  perception  of  a  pres- 
ent fact,  but  as  a  conception,  or  conviction,  of  a  fact  of  pre- 
vious occurrence,  they  —  in  recollection,  suspicion,  or  convic- 
tion, or  in  some  other  mental  operation,  "  see  the  Son  of  man 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory ! " 
Indeed !  Well  this  must  be  a  valuable  theory !  It  certainly 
costs  a  great  deal  to  maintain  it ! 

9.  But  is  this  maintained  by  those  who  support  the  figu- 
rative theory?  Yes,  by  all  of  them,  excepting  those  who 
leave  the  theory  at  the  point  where  the  former  part  of  this 
objection  meets  it,  viz  :  in  diametrical  opposition  to  the  affir- 
mation of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

We  will  now  bring  to  the  point  more  distinctly  the  opinions 
of  those  who  try  to  evade  that  issue  by  taking  the  one  under 
present  notice.  Mr.  WATSON — -commenting  on  the  30th 
verse — "  The  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  is  that  demonstration 
of  the  supernatural  character  of  the  judicial  visitation  of  the 
Jews,  that  to  the  Christians*  it  should  be  as  sure  a  sign  that 
it  was  Christ  who  was  then  inflicting  his  vengeance  upon  his 

*  Indeed !  It  was  "  Christians"  then,  who  were  to  mourn  at  the  appear- 
ance of  their  Lord !  What  is  this,  but  adding  to,  and  taking  from,  "  the 
words  of  this  prophecy  ? " 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  285 

enemies,  as  though  there  should  be  a  visible  personal  appear- 
ance of  him.  Even  Josephus,  a  Jew,  acknowledged  in  these 
events  the  special  displays  of  the  more  immediate  agency 
of  an  angry  God  ;  *  and  much  more  to  Christians,  taught  by 
Christ  to  expect  his  coming  in  this  manner  ,  would  they  be 
the  sign  of  his  majesty  to  whom  'all  power  in  heaven  and 
earth'  had  been  committed,  and  thus  prove  a  mighty  confir- 
mation of  their  faith."  f 

MR.  BARNES  —  commenting  on  the  same  verse  — "  The 
sign  of  the  Son  of  man.  The  evidence  that  Christ  is  coming 
to  destroy  the  city  of  Jerusalem."  ;f 

DR.  CLARKE — "  Then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of 
man.  The  plain  meaning  of  this  is,  that  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  will  be  such  a  remarkable  instance  of  divine  ven- 
geance, such  a  signal  manifestation  of  Christ's  power  and 
glory,  that  all  the  Jewish  tribes  shall  mourn,  and  many  will, 
in  consequence  of  this  manifestation  of  God,  §  be  led  to  ac- 
knowledge the  Christian  religion." 

MR.  BURKITT — "  Then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth 
mourn ;  that  is,  then  shall  the  Jews  be  convinced  that  their 
destruction  WAS  the  punishment  of  their  sin,  in  rejecting  and 
crucifying  Christ ;  and  accordingly  they  that  had  pierced  him 
shall  behold  him,  and  mourn  over  him.  Thus  it  was  BEFORE 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  thus  will  it  be  before  the 
final  judgment."  | 

*  Did  Josephus  belong  to  one  of  "  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth "  who  should 
"see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven? " 

\  And  yet,  as  it  seems,  even  these  "  Christians,  taught  by  Christ  to  expect  his 
coming  in  this  manner" — i.  e.  as  Mr.  "Watson  holds,  by  the  Roman  armies,  — 
•were  so  blind  as  not  to  see  him  until  "  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days!  " 

^  How  is  this  ?  The  evidence  that  he  is  coming  to  do  the  very  thing  which 
Mr.  B.  supposes  to  have  been  done  previously  ;  for  this  is  his  method  of  ex- 
pounding the  previous  verses. 

§  He  dare  not  interpret  his  own  text ;  it  was  a  manifestation  of  Christ  that 
he  was  commenting  about. 

\  Well,  how  is  this  ?  Here  are  several  contradictions.  In  his  comment  on 
the  previous  verse,  he  says,  "  Our  Saviour  goes  on  in  figurative  expressions  to 
Bet  forth  the  calamities  that  should  befall  the  Jewish  nation,  immediately  AFTER 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem"  In  commenting  on  the  30th  verse,  as  quoted 
first  above,  he  says,  the  Jews  would  be  convinced  that  their  destruction  was — 


286  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

BISHOP  NEWTON — "The  plain  meaning  of  it  is,  that  the 
destruction  of  ,1  t^rusalem  will  be  such  a  remarkable  instance 
of  the  divine  vengeance,  such  a  signal  manifestation  of 
CHRIST'S  power  and  glory,  that  all  the  Jewish  tribes  shall 
mourn,  and  many  will  be  led  thereby  to  acknowledge  Christ 

and  the  Christian  religion The  destruction  of 

Jerusalem  will  be  as  ample  a  manifestation  of  CHRIST'S  power 
and  glory,  as  if  he  was  himself  to  come  visibly  m  the  clouds 
of  heaven"  * 

10.  It  is  useless  to  extend  these  quotations  :    enough  have 
been  given  to  show  the  general  course  of  interpreting  the  pas- 
sage under  notice.     This  method  of  treating  it  brings  the  theory 
fully  upon  the  point  of  the  objection  of  which  we  are  now 
treating  ;  and  showing  its  utter  absurdity,  and  self-contradic- 
tions.    It  not  only  does  no  sort  of  justice  to  the  text  under 
comment,  but  it  completely  nullifies  all  the  fanciful  interpre- 
tations of  the  27th  verse,  and  all  the  usual  applications  of  the 
"coming  of  the  Son  of  man,"  when  the  particular  point  of 
objection  now  under  notice  is  not  present  to  the  mind,  to  ex- 
pose the  absurdity  of  the  whole  theory.     This  justly  subjects 
the  theory  to  all  the  animadversions  of  the  7th  and  8th  sec- 
tions of  the  present  division  of  the  chapter,  which  the  reader 
is  requested  once  more  to  read,  if  it  is  not  already  familiar 
to  him. 

11.  Of  the  figurative  theory  of  this  coming  of  Christ,  it 
may  be  truly  said,  that  even  the  most  learned  and  ingenious 
of  men,  singly  or  combined,  can  do  nothing  satisfactory  with 
it.     Their  writings  are  full  of  contradictions,  as  has  already 
been  shown ;  and  they  cannot  explain  the  30th  verse  without 

this  refers  to  things  past  —  "  the  punishment  of  their  sin,"  <fec.  Then  this  is 
followed  directly  with  the  observation,  "  Thus  it  was  BEFORE  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem"  This  is  a  troublesome  theory.  Great  men  act  strangely  in  trying 
to  maintain  it. 

*  Does  he  affirm  this  of  "  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  ? "  If  he  does  not,  he 
does  injustice  to  his  text.  If  he  does,  he  does  injustice  to  the  facts  in  the 
case.  How  does  it  happen  that  these  great  masters  in  Israel  are  so  careful 
not  to  interpret  the  Lord's  words  as  he  uttered  them  ?  "What  is  there  about 
truth  that  requires  such  evasions  and  misrepresentations.  This  is  character- 
istic of  error,  not  of  truth. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  287 

utterly  overthrowing  their  own  explanation  of  the  27th  and 
29th  verses.  And,  instead  of  examples  from  Scripture  to 
justify  such  an  application  of  the  description  of  a  scene,  with 
its  attending  and  subsequent  results ;  instead  of  historical 
proofs  of  the  principal  facts  affirmed,  we  have  nothing — ab- 
solutely nothing  —  but  the  bare  assertions  of  men.  The  fact 
is,  our  leading  divines  have  unfortunately  been  led  to  adopt 
an  erroneous  theory  of  interpretation ;  and  this  occasions  their 
embarrassment,  indefiniteness,  self-contradictions,  and  palpa- 
ble misconceptions  of  the  words  of  our  Lord. 

The  author  cannot  better  express  himself  on  this  point, 
than  by  quoting  the  observations  of  Dr.  TOWER,  in  his  "  Il- 
lustrations of  Prophecy"  And  Dr.  Tower,  be  it  remembered, 
was  an  advocate  of  the  figurative  theory.  But  he  was  too 
penetrating  and  logical  not  to  perceive  the  surprising  incon- 
sistencies of  his  fellow-laborers  in  the  great  work  of  meta- 
phorizing  this  part  of  the  Lord's  prediction.  In  vol.  2.,  p.  160, 
he  says, 

"  That  the  prophecy  of  Jesus  is  of  very  difficult  interpreta- 
tion, is  very  generally  admitted.  Grotius,  and  Lowth,  Sykes, 
Benson,  and  Macknight,  Bishop  Watson,  and  the  Taylors, 
have,  Mr.  Nisbitt  acknowledges,  (he  is  here  speaking  of  the 
Scripture  doctrine  of  the  coming  of  Christ,)  '  all  of  them 
without  exception,  manifestly  discovered  their  embarrassment, 
and  the  difficulties  which  they  labored  under,  in  considering 
the  subject.'"  "  Surely,"  resumes  the  Doctor,  "  this  affords  a 
strong  presumption,  that  they  have  all  failed  of  discovering 
the  true  import  of  Christ's  celebrated  prediction" 

12.  This  part  of  the  subject  cannot  be  closed  better  than 
by  quoting  the  words  of  this  same  Dr.  TOWER,  who  has  mani- 
fested a  candor,  a  comprehensiveness,  and,  generally  speak- 
ing, a  soundness,  that  render  his  work  worthy  of  a  wider  cir- 
culation. Yol.  2,  p.  192.*  Quoting  verse  30,  the  text  under 
notice  —  "The  expression  translated,  all  the  tribes  of  the 

*  First  American  edition,  Philadelphia,  1808.  He  had  critically  examined  the 
works  of  Joseph  Mede,  Vitringa,  Dr.  Thomas  Goodwin,  Dr.  Henry  Moore,  Dr. 
Owen,  Dr.  Oessener,  Peter  Jurieu,  Brenius,  Bishop  Chandler,  Isaac  Newton, 
Dr.  Lowth, Fleming,  Bengelius,  <fec..  Ac.,  Ac. 


288  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

ewth,  Bishop  Newton  asserts,  signifies  merely  the  Jewish  tribes 
inhabiting  the  province  of  Judea  ;  and  he  maintains,  that  this 
passage  plainly  signifies,  c  that  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
will  be  such  a  remarkable  instance  of  divine  vengeance,  such 
a  signal  manifestation  of  Christ?  s  power  and  glory,  that  all  the 
Jewish  tribes  shall  mourn.'  But  unfortunately  for  this  inter- 
pretation, IT  IS  COMPLETELY  AT  VARIANCE  WITH  THE  TESTIMONY 

OF  CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY.  So  far  from  authorizing 
us  to  conclude,  that  the  Jews  discerned  or  acknowledged,  in 
the  destruction  of  their  city,  any  display  of  Christ's  power ; 
or  that  they  attributed  to  their  rejection  of  him,  and  the  cruel 
death  which  he  received  at  their  hands,  the  overthrow  of  their 
armies,  their  capital,  and  their  polity ;  it  informs  us  that  they 
still  insulted  the  memory  of  their  crucified  Messiah,  and  still 
remained  hardened  in  infidelity." 

This  is  able,  sound,  and  sustained  by  positive  historical  tes- 
timony. For  the  theory  objected  to  in  this  Treatise  cannot 
boast  of  a  single  authentic  statement  to  prove  it. 

DR.  CAMPBELL,  with  his  clear  perception  of  logical  and  lit- 
erary propriety,  also  speaks  of  the  inconsistency  of  the  usual 
figurative  exposition  of  the  subject  before  us.  "  The  predic- 
tion, which  the  verse  under  examination  introduces,  is  accu- 
rately distinguished  by  the  historian  as  not  commencing  till 
after  the  completion  of  the  former.  It  was  not  till  AFTER  the 
calamities  which  were  to  befall  the  Jews  should  be  ended  /  after 
their  capital  and  temple,  their  last  resource,  should  be  invest- 
ed and  taken,  and  the  wretched  inhabitants  destroyed  or  car- 
ried captive  into  all  nations  ;  after  Jerusalem  should  be  trod- 
den down  of  the  Gentiles  ;  nay,  and  after  the  triumph  of  the 
Gentiles  should  be  brought  to  a  period,  that  the  prophecy  con- 
tained in  this  and  the  two  subsequent  verses  [29,  30,  31,]  should 
begin  to  take  effect.  The  judicious  reader,  to  be  convinced  of 
this,  needs  only  give  the  passage  an  attentive  perusal" 

DR.  TOWER  adds,  in  a  note  :  "So  extremely  brief  are  Dr. 
Campbell's  observations  on  our  Lord's  prophecy,  that  the  pas- 
sage above,  to  every  word  of  which  I  subscribe,  constitutes  a 
large  part  of  them  ;  and  though  that  passage  is  accompanied 
with  no  doubts,  the  learned  translator,  nevertheless,  in  direct 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  289 

opposition  to  it,  renders  the  32d  verse,  [Luke,]  "  Yerily  I  say 
unto  you,  that  this  generation*  shall  not  pass,  until  all  be  ac- 
complished." 

MR.  MEDE  f  speaks  in  this  manner  concerning  the  point 
now  in  question  :  "To  interpret  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  his  kingdom  then,  of  his 
coming  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  is  contrary  to  the  CON- 
TEXT of  our  Saviour's  prophecy  ;  for  the  coming  of  Christ  %  to  de- 
stroy Jerusalem,  was  the  beginning  and  cause  of  that  great  and 
long  tribulation  of  that  people  /  but  the  coming  and  appearing 
of  the  Son  of  man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  is  expressly  said 
should  be  after  it  :  Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those 
days,  &c.,  Matt.  xxiv.  29,  Mark  xiii.  24.  To  the  same  purpose 
Luke  says,  after,  or  when  the  '  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  ful- 
filled, THEN  shall  he  the  signs  in  the  sun  and  moon,  and  THEN 
they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  a  cloud." 

13.  There  is  just  one  thought  more  that  did  not  occur  at  the 
time  of  writing  the  section  more  appropriate,  perhaps,  for 
containing  it  ;  although  it  is  not  inappropriate  in  this  connection: 
it  is  this  :  Those  who  seek  to  evade  the  issue  of  direct  contradic- 
tion of  the  words  of  the  Lord,  by  explaining  the  seeing  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds,  to  be  only  becoming  con- 
vinced that  the  calamities  of  the  Jews  were  inflicted  judicially 
by  the  Son  of  man,  •  —  do  not  appear  to  have  noticed  the  tense 
of  the  word  coming.  The  entire  force  of  their  argument  re- 
quires that  it  should  be  understood  in  the  past  tense  :  the  peo- 
ple now  become  painfully  convinced  that  their  calamities 
were  occasioned  by  that  Jesus  whom  they  had  crucified. 

*  Dr.  Campbell  and  Dr.  Tower  differed  in  their  understanding  of  the  origi- 
nal term 


f  Joseph  Mede  was  reputed  to  be,  as  in  the  language  of  Dr.  "Warburton, 
"the  greatest  divine  and  scholar"  of  the  age  of  James  the  First. 

A  learned  bishop  thus  represents  him,  "  Cool,  deliberate,  and  severe  in 
forming  his  judgments,  he  was  so  far  from  being  obsequious  to  the  fancies  of 
other  men,  that  he  was  determined  only  by  the  last  degree  of  evidence,  to  ac- 
quiesce in  any  conclusions  of  his  own." 

$  Mr.  Mede  seems  to  have  admitted,  perhaps  for  argument  sake,  however, 
that  in  some  sense  Christ  may  be  said  to  have  come  to  destroy  Jerusalem. 

19 


290  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

They  are  now  convinced  that  this  was  the  fact  in  the 
case.  And  the  defenders  of  this  explanation  maintain  that 
this  perception  or  impression  of  that  fact  is  what  is  meant  by 
their  seeing  him  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven ! 

But  now  see  how  perfectly  this  perverts  the  words  of  our 
Lord  :  First  should  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heav- 
en ;  and  the  people  would  begin  to  mourn  ;  and  they  should 
see  the  Son  of  man  COMING  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  Their  per- 
ception of  him  should  ~be  at  the  very  time  that  he  was  COMING. 
This,  the  figuratist  positively  and  distinctly  denies.  He  main- 
tains that  when  the  Son  of  man  came — as  they  explain  it,  "  by 
means  of  the  Roman  armies" — the  people  did  not  perceive 
him  ;  though  they  apply  to  his  coming  the  illustration  of  the 
blazing  lightning,  in  verse  27.  But,  "  after  the  tribulation  of 
those  days,"  when  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  of  their  state  and 
church  had  become  darkened,  in  consequence  of  the  judg- 
ments which  the  Son  of  man  inflicted  at  his  coming,  by  means 
of  the  Romans, — then  —  after  all  this — then  the  unbelievers 
become  so  convinced  that  it  was  the  work  of  Christ,  that  it  was 
as  great  a  demonstration  as  if  they  had  seen  him  coming  in 
the  clouds  of  heaven.  The  figuratist  makes  it  necessary  to 
understand  the  passage  as  teaching  that  they  would  perceive 
that  he  had  come.  But  Christ  decJares  they  should  see  him 
coming.  Which  is  most  worthy  of 


HAKMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  291 


CHAPTER   XII. 

Principal  subject  —  JUDGMENT  ADVENT  OF  CHKIST.    THE  TEUB 

EXPOSITION. 

Order  of  Events — Sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  —  Distinguished  from  Christ  him 
self — Where  it  will  appear — Its  Nature  —  Difference  between  a  Sign  and 
a  Wonder — The  Sign  the  occasion  of  universal  Mourning  —  The  Reason  — 
Effect  upon  the  Jews  —  A  day  of  salvation  to  them — The  Reason  —  A 
Scene  of  mourning  among  the  Jews — Occasion  and  Result — Literal  Com- 
ing of  Christ  —  Scoffers,  and  their  Excuse  —  Believers,  and  their  Danger  — 
The  Personal  Coming  Proved  —  Source  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Thessalo- 
nians  —  Design  of  the  Parables  in  connection  with  the  Prophecy  —  Christ's 
application  of  the  Parables — The  Judgment  at  his  Coming  —  Extent  of 
Time  embraced  in  the  Prophecy  —  Conclusion  of  the  Prophecy. 

Verse  30.     AND  THEN  SHALL  APPEAR  THE  SIGN  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  IN  HEAVEN  ; 

AND  THEN  SHALL  ALL  THE  TRIBES  OF  THE  EARTH  MOURN,  AND  THEY  SHALL  SEE  THE  SON 
OF  MAN  COMING  IN  THE  CLOUDS  OF  HEAVEN,  WITH  POWER  AND  GREAT  GLORY. 

HAVING  shown  the  palpable  inconsistency  of  the  usual  fig- 
urative interpretation  of  this  passage,  its  literal  exposition 
will  now  be  given. 

"Then shall  appear" 

The  word  then  denotes  the  order  of  succession  in  the  great 
events  predicted  in  this  part  of  the  discourse.  After  the  signs 
in  the  heavens,  the  perplexity  and  distress  of  the  nations,  and 
the  agitation  of  the  sea,  which  the  Lord  had  just  predicted,* 
then  should  occur  the  scenes  which  are  subsequently  described. 

1.  The  first  in  order  will  be  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man. 
Some  do  not  distinguish  the  sign  from  the  Son  of  man  him- 
self. But  they  are  clearly  distinguished  in  the  text,  and  sep- 
arated by  the  mourning  of  the  people.  Not  only  so,  but,  in 
the  nature  of  the  case,  a  SIGN  CANNOT  ~be  the  THING  SIGNIFIED  ; 
if  it  were,  it  would  not  be  a  sign.  An  alphabetic  letter  is  the 

*  The  reader  must  refer  to  the  Harmony  to  understand  fully  the  relation  of 
these  things.  And  he  should  consult  the  Harmony  with  respect  to  many 
other  passages. 


292  HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION. 

sign  or  representation  of  a  certain  sound  ;  but  it  is  not  the 
sound  which  it  represents.  Words  are  the  signs  of  ideas ; 
but  they  are  not  the  ideas  which  they  signify.  It  is  attribu- 
ting to  our  Lord  an  improper  use  of  language,  to  suppose  that 
by  the  sign  of  himself  he  meant  himself,  and  not  a  sign. 
What  this  sign  may  be,  he  has  not  seen  fit  to  inform  us  ;  and 
conjecture  may  mislead  us.  It  will  not  be  wise,  therefore,  to 
occupy  much  time  in  an  eifort  to  ascertain  the  precise  nature 
of  that  sign.  There  are  some  things,  however,  which  we  may 
ascertain  with  respect  both  to  its  nature  and  design. 

(1.)  It  will  appear  "  in  heaven."  It  will  not  be  anything 
transpiring  on  the  earth.  Neither  will  it  be  any  ordinary 
phenomenon  among  the  luminaries  of  .heaven  ;  for  if  it  were, 
it  could  not  le  a  sign  of  any  particular  person  or  thing,  since 
it  would  have  been  seen  before,  and  might  be  explained  with- 
out any  special  significancy  in  its  design. 

(2.)  It  must,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  be  luminous.  This 
is  indicated  by  the  original  word  for  appear.  But  it  must  be 
luminous  from  this  single  consideration  :  it  will  appear,  or 
shine,  at  a  time  of  total  darkness.  The  sun  will  be  previously 
turned  to  darkness,  and  the  moon  and  the  stars  will  have 
withdrawn  their  shining.  All  the  great  sources  of  light  be- 
ing thus  totally  obscured,  whatever  shall  appear  must  be  lu- 
minous in  its  nature. 

(3.)  And  it  seems  evident,  also,  that  it  must  have  some  defi- 
nite form:  a  mere  blaze,  or  limitless  glow  of  light,  being 
without  any  definite  form,  could  not,  so  far  as  we  can  appre- 
hend, be  significant  of  the  Son  of  man,  unless  it  had  been  pre- 
viously designated  as  having  this  particular  signification. 
Without  this  previous  notice,  it  might  indeed  be  a  wonder, 
but  it  could  not  be  a  sign.  Of  what  shape  this  sign  may  be, 
we  must  remain  uninformed  until  it  shall  appear!  It  may})Q 
a  luminous  cross.  In  ancient  times,  many  of  the  Christian 
fathers  advanced  such  a  conjecture.  Whether  it  will  be  so  or 
not,  one  thing  is  certain :  we  cannot  probably  think  of  any- 
thing, which,  to  the  whole  world,  would  so  clearly  suggest 
the  religion  and  person  of  the  crucified  Lord.  In  what  na- 
tion would  the  sign  of  the  cross  be  unsignificant  ?  Even 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION 


293 


now,  is  it  not  the  distinguishing  symbol  of  Christianity  and 
its  divine  Kedeemer  ?  God  may  even  overrule  the  idolatrous 
superstition  of  the  Romish  church,  in  a  way,  perhaps,  which 
has  not  "been  previously  suggested.  But  on  this  delicate  point 
the  author  would  not  venture  to  advance  anything  more  than 
a  simple  suggestion. 

(4.)  Whatever  it  may  be  in  nature,  and  whatever  in  form, 
it  will  be  "  the  SIGN  of  the  SON  OF  MAN."  And  this  is  but  say- 
ing, after  all,  that  it  will  be  something  by  which  "  all  the 
tribes  of  the  earth  "  shall  imderstand  what  it  signifies  :  it  will 
be,  to  them,  a  sign  so  clearly  understood  in  its  signification  as 
to  cause  them  to  mourn.* 

This  part  of  the  prediction  was  probably  designed  to  an- 
swer the  inquiry  of  the  disciples,  "  What  shall  be  the  sign  of 
thy  coming  '?"  He  does  not  see  fit  to  give  them  all  the  par- 
ticulars respecting  it ;  but  he  informs  them  that  it  would  ap- 
pear in  the  heavens,  visible,  and  significant  to  all  /  and  he 
tells  them  when  it  it  would  appear,  as  it  will  be  related  to 
other  events.  See  Note  H,  in  the  Appendix. 

2.  The  second  thing  predicted  is,  the  universal  mourning 
when  this  sign  appears.  "  And  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the 
earth  mourn"  Evidently  this  must  be  restricted  to  the  wick- 
ed among  the  tribes  of  the  earth  :  it  cannot  include  those  who 
"  look  for  him,"  to  whom  he  "  shall  appear  the  second  time, 
without  sin  unto  salvation."  Those  who,  "  love  his  appear- 
ing "  certainly  cannot  mourn  when  they  discover  the  sign  of 
his  glorious  appearing  ;  for  now  "  their  redemption  draweth 
nigh."  The  heathen  will  of  course  mourn,  for  they  will  now 
discover  that  their  destruction  is  near  :  they  will  not  mistake 
the  import  of  the  sign.  And,  besides,  the  previous  convul- 
sions and  portents  in  earth  and  heaven  will  terribly  perplex 
and  distress  them,  as  they  gather  in  battle  array  against  the 
"  remnant  of  Israel,"  whom  now  it  is  God's  pleasure  and  de- 

*  Mr.  WESLEY'S  note  is  to  the  point :  speaking  of  the  words  under  notice, 
he  says  the  sign  will  appear,  "  It  seems,  a  little  while  before  he  himself  de- 
scends. The  sun,  moon,  and  stars  being  extinguished,  (probably  not  those 
of  our  system  only,)  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  (perhaps  the  cross)  will  ap- 
pear in  the  glory  of  the  Lord." 

$*   OF  TB35 

.  »*  «W  T  "HP  *1  <f1  *f*  «i 


294:  HABMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

termination  to  save.  The  appearance  of  the  "  sign  of  the  Son 
of  man  in  heaven  "  will  now  awfully  assure  them  of  the  sig- 
nification and  design  of  all  this  commotion  in  the  sea,  in  earth, 
and  heaven.  It  will  terribly  increase  the  "  distress  of  na- 
tions, with  perplexity," 

To  the  nnbeliving  Jews,  too,  it  will  be  a  time  of  great 
mourning ;  though,  by  the  gracious  purpose  of  God,  it  will 
be  a  sorrow  unto  repentance  and  salvation.  The  appearance 
of  the  sign  of  their  crucified  Messiah,  in  these  awful  circum- 
stances, and  the  unmistakable  import  of  that  sign,  will  at 
once  convince  them  of  their  obstinate  infidelity,  and  long, 
long  rejection  of  their  own  Redeemer.  Their  rejected  and 
insulted  Christ,  appearing  thus,  may  seem  to  come  in  anger 
towards  them  ;  but  the  sequel  will  show  that  it  is  the  day  of 
Israel's  deliverance  and  hope.  This,  through  grace,  will  give 
them  brokenness  of  heart  and  contrition  of  spirit ;  to  per- 
ceive that,  after  all,  he  does  not  appear  to  destroy  them,  ac- 
cording to  the  multitude  and  greatness  of  their  provocations, 
but  according  to  the  many  and  gracious  promises  made  unto 
their  fathers,  to  save  their  posterity,  for  his  own  name's  sake, 
and  in  fulfillment  of  his  own  gracious  covenant  with  them. 

With  this  conviction  of  their  aggravated  unbelief  and  wick- 
edness, by  the  discovery  of  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man,  fol- 
lowed, too,  by  the  appearance  of  himself  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven ;  and  with  the  immediate  discovery  that  he  comes 
not  to  punish,  but  to  save  them ;  the  astonishing  forbearance 
and  forgiving  goodness  will  break  and  melt  their  stubborn 
hearts.  They  will,  in  this  state  of  mind,  understand  why, 
notwithstanding  all  their  iniquities,  they  are  made  the  objects 
of  redeeming  mercy.  Now  will  be  realized  the  astonishing 
grace  of  God,  and  his  faithfulness  and  friendship  for  their  fa- 
thers and  their  posterity.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  19 :  "  And  I  scattered 
them  among  the  heathen,  and  they  were  dispersed  through 
the  countries :  according  to  their  way,  and  according  to  their 
doings,  I  judged  them.  21.  But  I  had  pity,  for  mine  holy 
name,  which  the  house  of  Israel  had  profaned  among  the 
heathen,  whither  they  went.  22.  Therefore,  say  unto  the 
house  of  Israel,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  —  I  do  not  this  for 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  295 

YOUR  BAKES,  O  house  of  Israel,  BUT  FOE  MINE  HOLY  NAME'S  SAKE, 
which  ye  have  profaned  among  the  heathen,  whither  ye 
went."  He  now,  as  from  Egypt,  Ps.  cvi.  8,  saves  them  "for 
his  name's  sake,  that  he  might  make  his  power  to  be  known." 
They  will  now  clearly  perceive  that  it  is  not  on  account  of 
their  being  better  than  others,  or  less  ill-deserving,  but  as  re- 
corded in  Deut.  x.  15,  "  Only  the  Lord  had  a  delight  in  thy 
fathers  to  love  them,  and  he  chose  their  seed  after  them,  even 
you  above  all  people,  as  it  is  this  day."  Deut.  ix.  5  :  "  Not 
for  thy  righteousness,  or  for  the  uprightness  of  thy  heart,  dost 
thou  go  to  possess  their  land ;  but  for  the  wickedness  of  these 
nations  the  Lord  thy  God  doth  drive  them  out  before  thee, 
and  that  he  may  perform  the  word  which  the  Lord  sware 
unto  thy  fathers,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob"  Deut.  vii : 
"  Because  the  Lord  loved  you,  and  because  he  would  keep  the 
oath  which  he  had  sworn  unto  your  fathers."  At  the  time 
specified  in  the  text  under  comment,  when  the  Lord  might  be 
expected  to  destroy,  but  gloriously  comes  to  save,  —  to  save 
even  a  guilty  and  ill  deserving  people,  —  it  will  truly  appear 
that  it  is  "  not  for  their  sakes  or  uprightness  of  heart;  "  "  but 
for  his  own  name's  sake,  and  to  fulfil  the  word  which  the 
Lord  sware  unto  their  fathers"  Thus  will  it  be  seen  in  that 
day,  that  "  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  people  whom  he  fore- 
knew." Rom.  xi.  2.  And  it  will  be  clearly  understood  by 
the  Jews  themselves,  that  it  is  in  fulfillment  of  the  covenant 
made  with  their  fathers,  and  not  because  they  do  not  deserve 
God's  displeasure  for  their  sins.  The  seed  of  Jacob  that  re- 
main to  be  delivered,  will  be  "  a  remnant  according  to  the 
election  of  grace"  Rom.  xi.  5.  Yerse  6,  "  And  if  by  grace, 
then  it  is  no  more  of  works ;  otherwise,  grace  is  no  more 
grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  is  it  no  more  grace  ;  oth- 
erwise, work  is  no  more  work." 

The  salvation  of  Israel  at  that  day  will  be  seen  to  be  just 
as  much  a  work  of  sovereign  grace  as  their  conversion  was,  at 
the  time  the  apostle  wrote  the  epistle  to  the  Romans.  In  the 
former  part  of  the  chapter  last  quoted  the  apostle  speaks  of 
the  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  and  their  general  rejection  of  the 
gospel.  But  in  the  latter  part  he  clearly  speaks  of  the  very 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

time  now  treated  of,  when,  for  his  own  name's  sake,  and  to 
keep  the  covenant  made  with  their  fathers,  he  appears  to 
save  them  at  the  fullness  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles.  Yerse 
28,  "  As  concerning  the  gospel,  they  are  enemies  for  your 
sakes  ;  but  as  touching  the  election,  they  are  BELOVED  FOR  THE 
FATHERS'  SAKES.  29.  For  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are 
without  repentance."  This  clearly  points  to  the  very  time 
now  under  consideration,  as  the  context  shows,  when,  at  the 
"  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,"  (verse  25,)  the  blindness  which  had 
happened  to  Israel  shall  be  taken  away.  26.  "  And  so  all 
Israel  [all  who  remain  until  that  time]  shall  be  saved ;  as  it 
is  written,  (Isa.  lix.  20,)  There  shall  come  out  of  Zion  the 
Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob." 
The  context  of  this  latter  quotation  evidently  points  to  the 
very  time  now  being  considered. 

It  is  thus  that  the  goodness  of  God,  and  a  sense  of  his  faith- 
fulness,  joined  with  a  painful  discovery  of  their  own  wicked- 
ness, will  lead  them  to  repentance.  All  these  quotations,  and 
multitudes  more,  clearly  refer  to  these  latter  days  of  Israel,  and 
to  the  specific  time  of  their  final  triumph  over  their  foes.  Per- 
haps this  scene  of  penitent  mourning  to  Israel  is  not  described 
anywhere  more  distinctly,  than  in  Zech.  xii.,  xiii.,  and  xiv. 
Chap.  xii.  9  :  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  I 
will  seek  to  destroy  all  the  nations  that  come  AGAINST  JERUSA- 
LEM." It  will  not  be  a  time  of  calamity  to  the  Jews,  then, 
for,  verse  28,  "  In  that  day  shall  the  Lord  defend  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Jerusalem  ;  and  he  that  is  feeble  among  them  at  that 
day  shall  be  as  David ;  and  the  house  of  David  shall  be  as 
God,  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  before  them."  Now,  let  it  ~be 
distinctly  observed,  that  it  is  to  ~be  precisely  at  this  very 
time,  —  this  time  of  deliverance  — •  that  the  general  mourning 
shall  be  witnessed  among  the  Jews  of  all  classes.  Yerse  10. 
"  And  I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplica- 
tions ;  AND  THEY  SHALL  LOOK  UPON  ME  WHOM  THEY  HAVE  PIERCED, 

and  they  shall  MOURN  for  him,  as  one  mourneth  for  his  only 
son  ;  and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for  him,  as  one  is  in  bitterness 
for  his  first  lorn.  11.  In  that  day  shall  there  be  a  great 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  297 

mourning  in  Jerusalem,  as  the  mourning  of  Hadadrimmon  in 
the  valley  of  Megiddon.*  12.  And  the  land  shall  mourn  ev- 
ery family  apart ;  the  family  of  the  house  of  David  apart,f 
and  their  wives  apart ;  the  family  of  the  house  of  Nathan 
apart,  and  their  wives  apart,"  &c.  Chap.  xiii.  1  :  "In  that 
day  there  shall  be  a  fountain  opened  in  the  house  of  David, 
and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and  for  unclean- 
ness." 

This  surely  cannot  relate  to  the  general  opening  of  the  foun- 
tain of  salvation  for  the  whole  world,  which  was  done  at  the 
death  of  Christ ;  but  for  that  special  cleansing  which  will 
then  be  realized  by  the  guilty,  unworthy,  but  now  penitent 
Jews.  This  is  the  precise  time,  as  described  by  St.  Paul, 
Horn.  xi.  26,  when,  at  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,  until  which 
time  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down,  (Luke  xxi.  24,)  and  at 
which  time  the  blindness  shall  be  removed  from  the  remnant 
of  Israel ;  —  "  Then  there  shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer, 
and  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob."  Yerse  32. 
"  For  God  hath  concluded  them  all  in  unbelief,  that  he  might 
have  mercy  upon  all."  And  is  this,  reader,  a  depth  of  riches 
to  you  incredible  ?  Is  it  a  judgment  to  you  unsearchable  ? 
Is  it  a  way  past  finding  out  ?  Do  not  therefore  disbelieve  it ; 
but  read  the  next  verse,  and  see  how  it  appeared  to  St.  Paul. 
Verse  33,  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom 
and  knowledge  of  God !  How  unsearchable  are  his  judg- 
ments, and  his  ways  past  finding  out !" 

This  is  the  precise  time  when  God  will  not  only  restore 
them  to  their  own  land,  never  to  be  removed  again,  but  will 
bring  them  spiritually  to  himself.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  24 :  ^  "  For  I 
will  take  you  from  among  the  heathen,  and  will  gather  you 
out  of  all  countries,  and  will  bring  you  into  your  own  land. 
25.  THEN  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall 

*  See  2  Kings,  xxiii.  29.     2  Chron.  xxxv.  24. 

f  The  house  of  David,  and  the  people  of  Judah  would  be  distinguishingly 
prominent  in  the  general  mourning  ;  for  they  will  recollect  that  the  crucified 
Messiah  was  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  of  the  family  of  David. 

\  Read  the  context,  particularly,  from  the  16th  verse,  and  consider  God's 
reason  for  doing  so,  as  declared  in  verses  21,  22,  32. 


298  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

be  clean  ;  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols, 
will  I  cleanse  you.  26.  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you, 
and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you  :  and  I  will  take  away 
the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart 
of  flesh.  31.  THEN  shall  ye  remember  your  own  evil  ways,  and 
your  doings  that  were  not  good,  and  shall  LOATH  YOURSELVES  IN 
YOUK  OWN  SIGHT  for  your  iniquities,  and  for  your  abomina- 
tions, 31.  Not  for  YOUK  SAKES  do  I  this,  saith  the  Lord  God, 
be  it  known  unto  you :  be  ASHAMED  and  CONFOUNDED  for  your 
own  ways,  O  house  of  Israel." 

How  perfectly  this  corresponds  with  the  great  mourning, 
when  all  the  families  shall  mourn  —  not  in  sight  of  each  other, 
but  every  family  apart,  in  their  own  sight !  The  great  mourn- 
ing, then,  so  far  as  the  Jews  are  concerned,  is  mourning  over 
sin,  of  which  the  appearance  of  their  pierced  Messiah  has 
clearly  convicted  them :  their  sorrow  is  a  godly  sorrow  that 
worketh  repentance  unto  salvation.* 

The  reader  may  not  now  be  prepared  to  receive  this  doc- 
trine ;  but  let  him  not  hastily  reject  it :  there  is  yet  much  more 
proof  to  be  considered.  "  And  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven" 

Having  already  devoted  much  time  to  the  inconsistencies 
and  insufficiency  of  the  figurative  theory  of  interpreting  this 
passage,  it  will  be  appropriate  now  to  proceed  directly  to  the 
literal  teaching  of  these  words. 

1.  The  Son  of  man  will  come.  There  have  been  thus  far 
from  the  beginning  of  these  "  last  days,"  or  days  of  the  Mes- 
siah, some  who  have  been  constantly  saying,  "  Where  is  the 
promise  of  his  coming  ?"  And,  truly,  if  the  "  scoffers"  as  St. 
Peter  calls  them,  (2  Pet.  iii.  3,)  have  had  access  to  the  wri- 
tings of  the  defenders  of  the  figurative  theory,  they  may  well 
ask,  where  is  the  promise  ;  for  even  this  passage,  one  of  the 
most  evidently  literal,  and  one  of  the  most  unmistakable  of 
all  the  Scriptures  that  promise  his  coming,  has  been,  of  late 
years,  almost  uniformly  expounded  so  as  not  to  mean  the  real 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  has  been  sufficiently 
proved  in  previous  chapters.  And  it  has  been  done,  too,  by 
*  See  note  I,  in  the  Appendix. 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  299 

those  who  have  professed  to  believe  in  his  coining,  and  who 
have  been  obliged  to  acknowledge  that  the  language  and 
"  costume"  of  the  ideas  might  have  been,  and  probably  were, 
derived  from,  or  suggested  by  the  Teal  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man.  But  in  relation  to  the  specific  promise  of  his  coming, 
they  have  given  occasion  to  this  sneering  inquiry  of  the  scof- 
fers. The  figuratists  have,  indeed,  pointed  out  some  few  pas- 
sages that  could  not  be  conveniently  metaphorized  to  mean 
something  else,  and  intimated  that  those  passages  probably,  or 
certainly,  should  be  understood  literally ;  but  the  scoffer  has 
not  been  able  to  perceive  why  those  passages  should  be  inter- 
preted literally,  and  such  passages  as  the  one  under  notice 
figuratively.  He  has  not  discovered  any  rule  for  such  meth- 
ods of  interpretation ;  and  he  looks  upon  it  as  a  system  of 
guess  work,  where  men,  left  without  any  certain  guide,  are  at 
liberty  to  follow  their  own  creeds  and  fancies.  No  wonder, 
then,  that  Universalism,  and  all  the  other  semi-infidel,  and 
wholly  infidel,  speculations  obtain,  which  do  not  look  for  any 
literal,  visible,  judgment-coming  of  the  Son  of  man.  But  the 
Son  of  man  will  come.  The  promise  is  here,  and  in  very  many 
portions  of  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments. 

2.  The  proofs  of  his  coming  are  too  numerous  to  be  quoted  in 
a  work  like  this.  A  few  of  them,  however,  cannot  be  out  of 
place ;  for  not  only  do  scoffers  need  to  see  them,  but  even  be- 
lievers, the  multitude  of  them,  are  so  little  convinced  and  im- 
pressed with  the  fact,  that  they  are  not  "looking  for,  and 
hasting  unto  the  day  of  the  coming  of  God ;"  but  are  living 
so,  and  are  instructed  so,  that  if  the  day  of  the  Lord  should 
now  come,  "  as  a  thief  in  the  night,"  it  would  come  as  a  snare 
on  all  them  that  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

When  our  Lord  ascended  to  heaven,  he  went  up  bodily, 
and  visibly,  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  sight.  Acts  i. 
10  :  "  And  while  they  looked  steadfastly  toward  heaven  as 
he  went  up,  behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel ; 
[angels,  undoubtedly ;]  11.  "Which  also  said,  Ye  men  af  Gal- 
ilee, why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  THIS  SAME  JESUS 
which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  SHALL  so  COME,  IN 
LIKE  MANNER,  as  ye  have  SEEN  him  go  into  heaven"  If  this 


300  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

does  not  touch  unequivocally  the  reality,  personality,  and  vis- 
ibility of  the  second  advent,  then  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  lan- 
guage to  do  it.  To  the  same  import  is  the  declaration  of  St. 
Paul,  1  Thess.  iv.  16  :  "  For  THE  LORD  HIMSELF  shall  descend 
from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel, 
and  with  the  trump  of  God."  The  addition  of  the  word 
"  himself"  was  perhaps  intended  so  to  define  and  restrict  the 
meaning  of  the  apostle,  that  no  common  perversion  could  ever 
succeed  in  obscuring  the  passage. 

3.  It  is  admitted  by  all  who  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection,  that  it  will  occur  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus.    And  the  reality  and  the  personality  of  his  coming  are 
just  as  distinctly  taught,  as  the  reality  and  personality  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead.     Speaking  on  this  subject,  St.  Paul 
says,  (1  Cor.  xv.  23,)  "  Christ  the  first  fruits ;  afterwards,  they 
that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming"     So  Phil.  iii.  20:     "For our 
conversation,  [VoXjVgufAa,]  citizenship,  is  m  heaven,  from  whence 
also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :     21.  Who 
shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto 
his  glorious  body."     To  the  same  import  is  the  passage  before 
quoted  from  1  Thess.  iv.  15— 17,  where  the  expressions,  "  re- 
main unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord"  "  the  Lord  himself  shall 
descend  from  heaven"  "caught  up  .  .  in  the  clouds  to  meet 
the  Lord"  —  all  are  connected  with  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  must  be  understood  literally. 

4.  His  coming  is  also  spoken  of  in  connection  with  the  as- 
sembling and  rewarding  of  his  people.     Thus,  2  Thess.  ii.  1 : 
"  Now  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus    Christ,   and  by  our   gathering   together   unto   him." 
Chap.  i.  10  :    "  When  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints." 
2  Tim.  iv.  10  :    "  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall 
give  me  at  that  day  :*  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them 
that  love  his  appearing"     Titus  ii.  13  :    " Looking  for  that 
blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."     Col.  iii.  4  :    "When  Christ,  who 
is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in 

*  Mentioned  in  the  1st  verse.     See  it  quoted  hereafter. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  301 

glory."  1  John  iii.  2  :  "  We  know  that  when  he  shall  appear, 
we  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is"  1  Thess. 
i.  10 :  "  And  to  wait  for  his  Son  from  heaven."  Chap.  ii.  19  : 
"For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing  ?*  Are 
not  even  ye  m  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his 
coming?"  Chap.  iii.  13  :  "  To  the  end  he  may  establish  your 
hearts  unblamable  in  holiness  before  God,  even  our  Father, 
at  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his  saints." 

5.  And  the  coming  of  Christ  is  also  spoken  of  in  connection 
with  the  judgment  of  the  living  and  the  dead.     2  Tim.  iv.  1  : 
"  I  charge  thee  therefore  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appear- 
ing and  his  kingdom."     2  Thess.  i.  7 :    "  And  to  you  who  are 
troubled  pie  will  recompense]  rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  shall  ~be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels, 

8.  In  naming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; 

9.  Who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power; 

10.  When  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints"  &c. 

6.  This  "revealing"  of  Christ  "from  heaven"  this  "com- 
ing" of  Christ,  this  "  appearing"  this  "  glorious  appearing" 
this  "  descending  from  heaven"  all  are  spoken  of  in  connection 
with  what  must  be  regarded  as  strictly  literal,  and,  of  course, 
what  is  affirmed  of  Christ  must,  according  to  all  wholesome 
rules  of  interpretation,  be  explained  as  literal.     Any  theory 
that  would  explain  away  the  literality  of  his  coming,  as  de- 
scribed in  these,  and  many  other  similar  passages,  could  ex- 
plain away  anything  else,  and  everything  else,  that  is  revealed 
in  the  Bible.     Yet  none  of  these  passages  is  more  evidently 
literal,  or  even  as  particular  in  description,  as  the  text  at  the 
head  of  this  chapter. 

7.  In  the  parables  which  form  a  continuation  of  the  Lord's 
prophetic  discourse,  the  same  literal  events  are  predicted  and 
described,  that  we  find  in  connection  with  the  many  passages 
which  have  been  already  quoted.     For  instance,  the  parable 

*  They  would  be  seals  of  their  ministry,  and  stars  in  their  crown  of  glory 
at  that  day. 


302 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


of  the  cliief  servant,  Matt.  xxiv.  45-51.  In  the  case  of  his 
unw aid i fulness  and  improper  behaviour,  as  he  was  saying 
"  in  his  heart,  My  lord  delayeth  his  coming.  Terse  50,  "  The 
lord  of  that  servant  shall  COME  in  a  day  when  he  looketh  not 
for  him,  and  in  an  hour  that  he  is  not  aware  of.  51.  And 
shall  cut  him  asunder  and  appoint  his  portion  with  the  hypo- 
crites :  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.77 

How  perfectly  this  corresponds  with  the  results  of  Christ's 
judgment-coming,  as  related  in  the  quotation  from  2  Thess. 
i.  7-10 !  And  it  also  has  the  same  correspondency  with  1 
Thess.  chap,  v.,  where  the  apostle  continues  his  discourse 
about  the  coming  of  the  "  Lord  himself77  to  raise  the  dead  and 
change  the  living.  Terse  2  :  "For  yourselves  Icnow perfect- 
ly that  the  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  THIEF  IN  THE  NIGHT. 
3.  For  when  they  shall  say,  Peace  and  safety  •  then  sudden 
destruction  cometh  upon  them,  as  travail  upon  a  woman  with 
child;  and  they  shall  not  escape.  4.  But  ye,  brethren,  are 
not  in  darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief. 
6.  Therefore  let  us  not  sleep  as  do  others ;  but  let  us  watch 
and  be  sober.77 

Now  here  are  some  very  remarkable  things,  which  are 
worthy  of  the  deepest  thought.  How  came  these  Thessaloni- 
an  brethren  to  know  perfectly  that  the  day  of  the  Lord,  to 
raise  the  dead  and  change  the  living,  would  so  come  as  a  thief 
in  the  night  ?  There  is  no  evidence  or  intimation  that  they 
learned  it  from  Paul,  or  from  any  of  the  apostles. 

The  expressions  similar  to  this  which  are  found  in  Revela- 
tion and  the  epistles  of  Peter,  were  written  subsequently  to 
this  letter  to  the  Thessalonians.  Is  it  not  sufficiently  evident 
that  their  perfect  knowledge  of  this  matter  was  derived  from 
our  Lord's  repeated  and  varied  declarations  and  illustrations 
in  the  very  prophecy  which  we  are  examining  f  Our  Lord 
himself  used  this  very  illustration  of  the  thief  in  the  night ! 
And  he  also  illustrated  the  unpreparedness  of  the  wicked  and 
the  slothful  by  this  very  reference  to  the  eating  and  drinking 
with  the  drunken  !  And  it  was  our  Lord  also  who  specifical- 
ly admonished  them  to  watch  for  his  coming !  And  this  sud- 
den destruction  from  his  presence,  of  which  Paul  speaks,  our 


HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION.  303 

Saviour  first  set  forth  in  the  destruction  of  the  servant  that 
did  not  look  and  watch  for  the  coming  of  his  master  !  And 
the  necessity  of  being  in  readiness  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
to  receive  his  people  into  his  presence  and  glory,  that  Paul 
speaks  of  in  so  many  places,  was  first  distinctly  taught  by  our 
Lord  in  his  prophetic  discourse,  by  the  parable  of  the  ten  vir- 
gins. He  uttered  this  illustrative  parable  expressly  to  enforce 
the  admonition,  "  "Watch,  therefore,  for  ye  know  neither  the 
day  nor  the  hour  wherein  the  Son  of  man  cometh."  And  in 
this  parable  the  destinies  of  the  final  judgment  are  distinctly 
set  forth :  As,  for  example,  the  midnight  cry,  Behold,  the 
Bridegroom  cometh  !  It  is  in  this  character  that  he  is  repre- 
sented as  coming  at  the  last  day.  See  Rev.  xix.  7-9.  And 
the  final  separation  of  characters  at  the  last  day,  and  the  clo- 
sing up  of  the  day  of  salvation,  are  distinctly  set  forth  by  the 
sequel  of  the  parable. 

And  the  final  judgment  and  rewards  and  punishments  are 
distinctly  taught  in  the  parable  of  the  servants,  as  recorded  in 
connection  with  the  Lord's  discourse.  Matt.  xxv.  14—30. 
There  was  the  Lord's  departure  from  his  servants,  after  giving 
them  their  charge.  (Yerse  15.)  Then,  " after  a  long  time" 
the  master  returned  to  reckon  with  them :  that  is,  to  bring 
them  to  judgment.  Then,  to  the  faithful,  there  is  the  reward, 
by  exalting  them  to  dominion,  (verse  23,)  and  entering  into 
the  joy  of  their  lord.  Now,  is  not  this  precisely  what  St. 
Paul  has  taught  in  some  of  the  passages  previously  quoted, 
where  the  whole  is  associated  with  the  return  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, the  awakening  of  the  dead,  and  the  receiving  of  the  saints 
into  glory  with  himself?  And  so,  likewise,  with  the  final 
punishment  of  the  wicked,  when  he  comes  in  glory,  as  it  is 
set  forth  in  the  parable,  (verse  30,)  by  casting  the  unprofita- 
ble servant  into  outer  darkness,  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord 
and  the  glory  of  his  power. 

It  appears  evident  that  this  very  prophecy  of  our  Lord,  in 
connection  with  the  parables  which  are  combined  with  it,  form- 
ed the  great  TEXT  BOOK  from  which  the  apostles  and  primitive 
Christians  mainly  derived,  not  only  their  DOCTRINES,  lut  their 
ILLUSTRATIONS,  of  the  second  advent  and  the  destinies  that 


304  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

shall  result  !  And  thus  was  fulfilled  our  Lord's  avowed  in- 
tention of  keeping  his  words  before  the  church  in  all  ages : 
"And  what  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all :  WATCH  !" 

Now,  let  it  ~be  distinctly  noticed  and  remembered,  that  our 
Lord  himself  applied  these  very  parables  to  hi$  SECOND  COMING  ! 
Let  the  reader  open  to  the  twenty-fifth  of  Matthew,  and  ex- 
amine the  connections  between  the  preceding  and  the  succeed- 
ing statements  of  his  coming.  The  parables  begin  in  connec- 
tion with  predictions  of  his  coming,  (verse  42,)  and  they  close 
at  verse  30  ;  then  comes  the  formal  application  :  verse  31  : 
"  When  tJie  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the 
holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his 
glory  :  32.  And  before  him  shall  be  gathered  ALL  NATIONS  : 
and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  di- 
videth  his  sheep  from  the  goats"  This  is  not  a  merely  temporal 
judgment ;  it  is  the  determination  and  execution  of  eternal 
destinies.  Verse  34,  "  Then  shall  the  'king*  say  unto  them 
on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 
Yerse  41,  "  Then  shall  he  say  unto  them  on  the  left  hand, 
Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels."  Verse  46,  "  And  these  shall  go 
away  into  everlasting  punishment ;  but  the  righteous  into. 
life  eternal"  Thus  closes  this  wonderful  prophetic  discourse. 
Beginning  writh  events  which  occurred  soon  after  his  ascen- 
sion, the  Lord  has  given  an  unbroken,  though  —  of  necessity 
—  a  very  brief  account  of  the  principal  events,  relevant  to  the 
inquiries  which  originated  the  discourse,  during  the  long 
lapse  of  time  from  his  ascension  to  heaven,  in  his  Mediatorial 
office,  to  his  descending  again,  in  his  kingly  dignity.f 

This,  then,  is  the  coming  of  which  he  speaks  in  the  text 
now  under  comment.  "  And  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great  glory." 
In  Rev.  i.  7,  we  find  his  coming  described  in  almost  the  same 
words.  And,  in  truth,  the  scene  is  evidently  the  same.  "  Be- 

*  The  Son  of  man,  when  he  comes  in  his  kingdom,  comes  in  his  kingly  char* 
acter.     So  it  is  described  in  many  other  places.     See  Dan.  vii.  13,  14. 
f  See  Note  J,  in  the  Appendix. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  305 

hold,  he  cometh  with  clouds :  and  every  eye  shall  see  him : 
and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him  !" 

Let  it  be  distinctly  remembered,  too,  that  this  passage  in 
Revelation  was  written  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and 
it  cannot,  therefore,  have  any  reference  to  that  event.  No- 
thing is  more  easily  and  indubitably  proved  from  authentic 
history. 

The  reader  has  been  detained  a  long  time  in  the  examina- 
tion of  our  text.  But  this  subject  is  of  too  much  consequence 
to  be  passed  over  in  a  hurry.  Besides,  it  was  supposed  that 
this  method  of  elucidating  the  passage,  by  comparing  it  with 
others,  would  be  more  successful  than  any  other.  All  this  la- 
bor might  have  been  dispensed  with,  however,  if  the  wisdom 
of  men  had  not  been  virtually  exalted  above  the  wisdom  of 
God,  in  the  present  common  methods  of  interpreting  this  part 
of  our  Lord's  prophecy. 

In  this  Treatise  it  has  been  the  constant  aim  of  the  author 
to  speak  "  as  the  oracles  of  God  ;"    and  by  appeals  "  to  the 
law  and  to  the  testimony,"  to  call  attention  more  to  the  words 
of  Inspiration,  and  less  to  the  sayings  of  men. 
20 


306  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Principal  subject — GATHERING  THE  ELECT.     REVIEW  OF  VARI- 
OUS EXPOSITIONS. 

Applied  by  some  to  the  Escape  of  Christians  from  Judea  —  Objection  founded 
on  the  Chronology  of  the  Events  —  Objection  from  its  being  unwarranted 
by  the  Language  of  the  Text  —  Also  from  its  conflict  with  Christ's  own 
Declaration  —  Difference  between  the  Comment  objected  to  and  the  Words 
of  Christ  —  Encouragement  of  Sceptics  —  The  passage  applied  to  the  Call 
of  the  Gentiles  —  Review  —  Misapplication  of  Texts  —  Erroneous  Impres- 
sion—  The  Issue  taken  —  Limitation  of  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews  —  When  the 
Gentiles  were  called  —  How  extensively  the  Gospel  prevailed  previously 
to  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem — St.  Paul's  Testimony  —  Eusebius'  —  Mosheim's  — 
Surprising  Statement  —  When  the  Gospel  Kingdom  began  —  Result  of  the 
Fall  of  Jerusalem  —  State  of  the  Church  subsequently  —  Professor  Stuart's 
Opinions  —  His  method  and  spirit  of  treating  the  passage  —  Is  it  a  literal 
Trumpet?  —  Extremities  of  the  Heavens — -Whence  are  the  Elect  to  be 
gathered  ?  —  Difference  between  Accuracy  and  Literality  —  God's  Trum- 
pet —  Can  the  Dead  hear  ?  —  Illustrations. 

Verse  31.    AND  THEN  SHALL  HE  SEND  HIS  ANGELS,  WITH  A  GREAT  SOUND  OF  A 

TRUMPET,    AND    THEY  SHALL    GATHER   TOGETHER  HIS     ELECT    FROM    THE     FOUR    WINDS, 

[Mark:   FROM  THE  UTTERMOST  PART  OF  THE  EARTH,]  FROM  ONE  END  OF  HEAVEN  TO 

THE  OTHER. 

THOSE  who  see  nothing  but  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews,  or 
other  things  relating  to  the  Roman  war,  in  the  prophetic 
scenery  so  impressively  portrayed  in  this  part  of  the  prophecy, 
must,  of  necessity,  interpret  this  verse  so  as  to  mean  some- 
thing exceedingly  different  from  what  it  appears  to  mean,  and 
what  no  man  would  ever  be  likely  to  suppose,  if  he  had  not 
a  favorite  and  troublesome  theory  to  sustain.  And  it  is  truly 
painful  to  observe  the  far-fetched,  unauthenticated  explana- 
tions which  the  defenders  of  the  figurative  theory  have  given 
to  this  passage.  According  to  some,  "  It  means,  that  God 
shall  send  forth  his  messengers  —  whatever  he  may  choose  to 
employ  for  that  purpose  —  signs,  wonders,  human  messengers, 
or  the  angels  themselves,  and  gather  Christians  into  a  place 
of  safety,  so  that  they  shall  not  be  destroyed  with  the  Jews." 


HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION.  307 

Will  the  reader  do  himself  the  favor  to  read  the  passage  of 
which  this  quotation  is  designed  to  be,  in  part,  at  least,  an. 
exposition  ? 

The  author  from  whose  comment  the  quotation  is  copied, 
appears  himself  to  have  had  little  or  no  confidence  in  the  ex- 
position which  he  adopted,  for  he  immediately  adds,  "  If  it 
refers  to  the  last  j  udgment,  as  it  doubtless  in  a  primary  or 
secondary  sense  docs,  then  it  means  that  he  will  send  his 
angels  to  gather  his  chosen,  his  elect,  together  from  all  places. 
This  shall  be  done  before  the  living  are  changed." 

How  exceedingly  and  uncomfortably  indefinite  to  minds 
bewildered  by  an  erroneous  theory,  must  appear  this  definite, 
unfigurative  prediction  !  First,  suppose  it  to  refer  to  an 
occurrence  that  is  no  more  described  by  it  than  almost  any 
other  in  the  history  of  mankind.  Then,  unsatisfied  with  the 
palpable  inconsistency  of  that  explanation,  introduce,  with  a 
significant  if,  a  supposition  that  it  may  refer,  either  in  a  pri- 
mary or  secondary  sense,  to  the  last  judgment ! 

As  this  is  a  common  method  of  treating  this  passage,  it  is 
worthy,  for  that  reason,  to  receive  a  little  attention.  That 
Christians  are  sometimes  entitled  "the  elect,"  is  certainly 
true.  That  they  will  be  finally  collected  together,  and  by  the 
angels,  too,  is  just  as  certain.  But  that  the  passage  refers,  in 
any  sense,  to  the  escape  of  Christians  from  the  calamities  that 
befell  the  Jews,  is  most  distinctly  denied.  It  is  utterly  with- 
out proof. 

The  same  commentator  remarks  on  another  page,  that  "  it 
might  here  refer  to  deliverance  granted  to  his  people  in  the 
calamities  of  Jerusalem.  It  is  said  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  not  one  Christian  perished  in  the  destruction  of  the  city, 
God  having  in  various  ways  secured  their  escape,  so  that  they 
fled  to  Pella,  where  they  dwelt  when  the  city  was  destroyed." 
Now,  to  such  an  application  of  the  text,  whether  adopted  in 
full,  or  in  part,  it  is  appropriate  to  object : 

(1.)  It  violates  the  chronological  order  of  the  discourse  ;  for 
the  gathering  of  the  elect  is  to  take  place  after  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man,  which  is  itself  to  be  after  the  darkening  of 
the  luminaries,  which  darkening  is  to  occur  after  the  tribula- 


308  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

tion  of  those  days.  And  it  is  certain  that  the  tribulation  of 
those  days  was  brought  down  to  the  siege  and  overthrow  of 
Jerusalem.  This  was  so  understood  by  the  very  commenta- 
tor whose  language  is  above  quoted  1  How,  then,  can  this 
gathering  of  the  elect  refer  to  any  period  previous  to  the 
siege,  so  as  to  save  Christians  from  suffering  that  siege,  and 
yet  not  occur  until  some  time  afterwards  ? 

Does  the  author  referred  to,  and  others  adopting  the  same 
method  of  exposition,  really  mean  that  they  should  be  gath- 
ered together,  and  delivered  from  the  sufferings  of  the  siege, 
after  the  siege  was  past*  and  the  tribulation  of  those  days 
ended  f  Can  it  be  possible,  either  that  they  should  not  per- 
ceive, or,  perceiving,  nevertheless  adopt,  such  a  palpable 
inconsistency  ?  How  can  it  be  explained  that  writers  of  the 
greatest  capacity  hare  entertained  such  a  view  of  this  gather- 
ing of  the  elect  ? 

(2.)  Another  objection  to  this  interpretation  is,  that  it  is 
utterly  unwarranted  by  the  language  it  professes  to  explain. 
Our  Lord  declares  that  he  would  "  send  his  angels,  with  a 
great  sound  of  a  trumpet"  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  his 
elect.  Now,  what  was  there  in  the  escape  of  the  disciples 
from  Jerusalem  that  deserves  to  be  called  the  sending  of  the 
angels,  and  the  great  sound  of  a  trumpet  ?  By  what  rule  of 
interpretation  do  we  apply  such  definite  language  to  anything, 
and  to  everything  that  any  and  every  one  may  fancy  ?  Did 
our  Lord  mean  anything  ?  or  did  he  speak  entirely  at  random, 
using  definite  terms  without  any  particular  intention  ?  If  by 
angels,  and  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  nothing  especial  was 
meant,  then  let  it  be  so  understood,  and  let  this  method  of 
interpretation  be  applied  also  to  other  prophecies,  and  see 
what  would  become  of  the  Bible. 

(3.)  A  third  objection  to  this  interpretation  is,  that  it  flatly 
contradicts  the  repeated,  unequivocal  statement  of  the  Lord 
himself.  His  statement  is,  that  the  gathering  of  the  elect 
should  be  "from  the  four  winds,  from  the  uttermost  part  of 
the  earth,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other"  If  this  does 
not  teach  that  the  gathering  should  be  from  all  parts  of  the 
habitable  globe,  then  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  language  to  do 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

it.  But  what  says  the  explanation  which  is  objected  to? 
Why,  it  says  it  was  a  gathering  together  FROM  JERUSALEM — 
a  single  city — or,  at  most,  from  Judea  !  And  this  is  an 
interpretation  of  the  Saviour's  language  !  Suppose  such  lib- 
erties should  be  taken  with  almost  any  other  part  of  the 
Scriptures ;  would  it  not  awaken  the  remonstrances  of  the 
disciples  of  Christ  everywhere  ? 

In  addition  to  this  objection,  it  may  be  replied,  also,  that, 
the  escape  of  Christians  from  Judea  and  Jerusalem  was  not  a 
gathering,  but  a  dispersion.  It  is  true  that  some  of  them, 
probably  quite  a  proportion,  fled  to  Pella  beyond  Jordan. 
But  it  appears  from  history,  and  also  from  the  direction  of 
Christ,  that — not  Christians  only,  but  many  others — fled 
"  to  the  mountains"  and  there  lived  as  best  they  could  in  the 
dens  and  vallies  of  the  hilly  regions,  that  were  not  likely  to 
be  visited  by  the  Roman  armies.  And  there  their  sufferings 
were  so  great  that  "  for  the  elect's  sake  those  days  were 
shortened."  And  yet  this  flight  and  dispersion  of  Christians 
and  others,  from  a  single  city  or  country,  in  obedience  to 
Christ's  own  personal  advice,  without  any  unusual  voice,  mes- 
sage, or  means, — this  is  what  we  are  to  understand  by  send- 
ing "  his  angels,  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  to  gather 
together  the  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other ! " 
Yerily,  the  figurative  theory  is  very  liberal  and  accommoda- 
ting !  And  this  is  the  method  of  interpreting  one  of  the  most 
momentous,  definite,  systematic,  and  unfigurative  prophecies 
of  the  Bible  !  No  wonder  that  sceptics  and  infidels  cavil  at 
a  book  that  receives  such  treatment  from  its  professed  friends ! 
There  is  another  method  of  explaining  this  gathering  of  the 
elect,  which  is,  if  possible,  more  objectionable  than  the  for- 
mer ;  because  it  is  not  only  inadequate,  and  unauthentic,  but 
positively  inconsistent  with  sound  theology.  It  is  stated  by 
Newton  on  the  Prophecies,  p.  363,  thus :  "  This  is  all  [the 
verse  before  us]  in  the  style  and  phraseology  of  the  prophets, 
and  stripped  of  its  figures,  meaneth  only,  that  after  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  Christ  by  his  angels  or  ministers  will 
gather  to  himself  a  glorious  church  out  of  all  the  nations  under 


310  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

heaven.  The  Jews  shall  be  thrust  out,  as  he  expresses  him- 
self in  another  place,  (Luke  xiii.  28,  29,)  '  and  they  shall  come 
from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and  from  the  north,  and 
from  the  south  ;  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God.' 
E"o  one  ever  so  little  versed  in  history  needeth  to  be  told,  that 
the  Christian  religion  spread  and  prevailed  mightily  after  this 
period ;  and  hardly  any  one  thing  contributed  more  to  the 
success  of  the  gospel  than  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  fall- 
ing out  in  the  very  manner  and  with  the  very  circumstances 
so  particularly  foretold  by  our  blessed  Saviour." 

This  is  the  other  branch  of  the  figurative  theory  of  inter- 
preting this  verse  ;  and  it  is  met  with  in  several  of  our  most  pop- 
ular Commentaries,  somewhat  modified,  it  is  true,  but  essen- 
tially the  same.  Dr.  Clarke,  for  example,  comments  thus : 
"31.  He  shall  send  his  angels]  TO&  ayy^Xous,  his  messengers,  the 
apostles,  and  their  successors  in  the  Christian  ministry. 
With  a  great  soimd  of  a  tru?npet,~]  Or,  a  loud-sounding  trum- 
pet —  the  earnest,  affectionate  call  of  the  gospel  of  peace,  life, 
and  salvation.  Shall  gather  together  his  elect]  The  Gentiles, 
who  were  now  chosen,  or  elected,  in  the  place  of  the  rebellious, 
obstinate  Jews,  according  to  our  Lord's  prediction,  Matt.  viii. 
11,  12,  and  Luke  xiii.  28,  29.  For  the,  children  of  the  'king- 
dom, (the  Jews,  who  were  born  with  a  legal  right  to  it,  but  had 
now  finally  forfeited  that  right  by  their  iniquities,)  should  be 
thrust  out.  It  is  worth  serious  observation,  that  the  Christian 
religion  spread  and  prevailed  mightily  after  this  period  :  and 
nothing  contributed  more  to  the  success  of  the  gospel,  than 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  happening  in  the  very  time  and 
manner,  and  with  the  very  circumstances  so  particular^  fore- 
Jold  by  our  Lord.  It  was  after  this  period  that  the  kingdom 
•of  Christ  began,  and  his  reign  was  established  in  almost  every 
part  of  the  world." 

It  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  paragraph  of  the  same  length 
that  contains  more  of  truth  and  more  of  error  than  the  quota- 
tion from  Newton,  as  modified  and  extended  by  Dr.  Clarke. 
To  reject  wholly,  would  be  rejecting  important  evangelical 
truths.  To  receive  it  as  it  is  found  in  their  works,  would  be 
receiving  impressions  entirely  at  variance  with  Scripture  and 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


811 


authentic  history.  The  texts  referred  to  are  totally  misapplied, 
and  the  things  asserted,  respecting  the  spread  of  the  gospel, 
without  being  altogether  false,  are,  nevertheless,  untrue  in  the 
impression  which  they  are  calculated  to  produce  in  the  mind. 
And  as  for  the  remark,  that  "  it  was  after  this  period  that  the 
'kingdom  of  Christ  began"  it  is  totally  at  variance  with  the 
express  teachings  of  the  Scriptures,  and  just  as  contradictory 
to  Dr.  Clarke's  own  commenting  in  other  places. 

In  reviewing  this  singular,  yet  very  common  explanation, 
it  may  be  observed,  First,  That  the  impression  which  the 
statement  concerning  the  spread  of  the  gospel  is  calculated  to 
produce,  is,  that  previous  to  the  overthrow  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion, the  gospel  was  quite  limited  in  its  success,  and  confined 
mostly,  or  entirely,  to  the  Jews ;  but  that  after  the  fall  of  Je- 
rusalem, the  gospel  was  extended  to  the  Gentiles,  and  for  the 
first  time,  spread  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  By  the  an- 
gels  is  understood  "the  apostles  and  their  successors."  By 
the  trumpet,  "  the  earnest,  affectionate  call  of  the  gospel  of 
peace."  By  the  elect,  "  the  Gentiles,  who  were  now  chosen,  or 
elected,  in  place  of  the  obstinate,  rebellious  Jews."  By  send- 
ing the  angels  to  gather  the  elect,  "  meaneth  only,  that 
after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  Christ  by  his  angels  or 
ministers  will  gather  to  himself  a  glorious  church  out  of  all 
nations  under  heaven." 

Now,  if  such  an  interpretation  has  any  propriety  or  force, 
it  must  arise  from  the  consideration,  that,  previously  to  the 
fall  of  Jerusalem,  the  apostles  had  not  been  sent  to  the  Gen- 
tiles ;  for  this  is  intended  to  explain  "  Then  shall  he  send  his 
angels,"  &c.  And  it  has  to  be  supposed,  likewise,  that,  pre- 
viously to  the  time  mentioned  above,  the  gospel  trumpet  had 
not  been  sounded  in  the  remote  portions  of  the  earth ;  for 
this  is  intended  to  explain  the  gathering  of  the  elect  "  from 
the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other." 

"We  may  now  come  understandingly  to  the  issue,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  point  before  us. 

THIS  WHOLE  IMPRESSION  IS  TOTALLY  AT  VARIANCE  WITH  THE 
FACTS  IN  THE  CASE. 

1.  In  relation  to  the  supposition  of  the  previous  limitation 


812  HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION. 

of  the  gospel  to  ifie  Jews.  Nothing  is  more  clearly  taught  in 
the  Scriptures,  than  that,  long  previously  to  the  fall  of  Jeru- 
salem, the  gospel  trumpet  was  extensively  and  effectually 
employed  in  gathering  in  the  Gentile  nations.  After  Peter 
had  used  the  key  of  the  kingdom,  in  the  admission  of  Corne- 
lius and  his  family,  the  door  was  effectually  opened  for  the 
ingathering  of  the  Gentiles.  To  whom  was  St.  Paul  espe- 
cially commissioned  to  go  ?  "Was  it  not  to  the  Gentiles  ? 
"What  did  he  mean  by  affirming  that  the  middle  wall  of  par- 
tition was  broken  down,  and  that  the  Gentiles  were  no  more 
aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  but  fellow  citizens 
with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God  ?  And  who 
were  the  Romans,  the  Corinthians,  the  Galatians,  the  Ephe- 
sians,  the  Philippians,  the  Colossians  the  Thessalonians,  and 
those  who  composed  the  great  body  of  the  churches  during 
the  apostolic  age  ?  "Were  they  not  generally  Gentiles  ?  Yet 
all  this  was  previous  to  the  fall  of  Jerusalem.  To  convey 
the  impression,  then,  that  the  call  of  the  Gentiles  was  de- 
ferred until  after  that  event,  is  directly  at  variance  with  the 
Scriptures.  Yet  on  this  supposition  depends  almost  the  en- 
tire relevancy  and  force  of  the  usual  exposition  of  the  text 
before  us. 

2.  As  to  the  other  implied  supposition,  that  it  was  not  until 
after  the  destruction  of  the  city,  that  the  gospel  trumpet  was 
sounded  in  the  distant  portions  of  the  world, — it  is  equally 
at  variance  with  the  Scriptures,  and  directly  opposed  to  au- 
thentic history.  St.  Paul,  who  died  several  years  before  the 
Roman  war,  yet  lived  to  write,  (Rom.  x.  18  :)  "  But  I  say, 
Have  they  not  heard  \  Yes,  verily,  THEIR  SOUND  WENT  INTO 

ALL  THE  EARTH,  AND  THEIR  WORDS  UNTO  THE  ENDS  OF  THE  WORLD." 

Again,  (Colos.  i.  5-6  :)  "  Whereof  ye  heard  before  in  the 
word  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  which  is  come  unto  you,  AS 
IT  is  IN"  ALL  THE  WORLD."  In  the  23d  verse  he  declares  dis- 
tinctly, that  the  gospel  which  they  had  heard  "  WAS  PREACHED 
TO  EVERY  CREATURE  UNDER  HEAVEN."  Yet  this  was  before  the 
fall  of  Jerusalem. 

That  these  passages  mean  just  what  they  say,  as  to  the  gen- 
eral extent  of  the  gospel  call,  is  proved  by  unimpeachable 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  313 

historic  testimony.  Eusebius  says,  B.  3.  chap.  1,  "  But  the 
holy  apostles  and  disciples  of  our  Saviour,  being  scattered  over 
the  whole  world,  Thomas,  according  to  tradition,  received  Par- 
thia  as  his  allotted  region ;  Andrew  received  Scythia ;  and 
John  Asia  ;  where,  after  continuing  for  some  time,  he  died  at 
Ephesus.  Peter  appears  to  have  preached  through  Pontus, 
Galatia,  Bythinia,  Cappadocia,  and  Asia,  to  the  Jews  *  that 
were  scattered  abroad."  "  Why  should  we  speak  of  Paul, 
spreading  the  gospel  of  Christ  from  Jerusalem  to  Illyricum, 
and  finally  suffering  martyrdom  at  Rome  under  Nero  ?"  f 

Mosheim,  also,  referring  to  the  apostolic  age,  speaks  thus 
distinctly,  Part  1,  chap.  4: :  "  And  when  they  had  exercised 
their  ministry,  during  several  years,  at  Jerusalem,  and  brought 
to  a  sufficient  degree  of  consistence  and  maturity  the  Chris- 
tian churches  which  were  founded  in  Palestine  and  the  adja- 
cent countries,  they  extended  their  views,  carried  the  divine 
lamp  of  the  gospel  TO  ALL  THE  NATIONS  OF  THE  WOULD,  and  saw 
their  labors  crowned  almost  everywhere  with  the  most  abundant 
fruits"  Again  —  "The  apostles,  having  finished  their  work 
at  Jerusalem,  went  to  diffuse  their  labors  among  other  nations, 
visited  with  that  intent  a  great  part  of  the  known  world,  and 
in  a  short  time  planted  a  vast  number  of  churches  among  the 
Gentiles:* 

Once  more — "  When  we  consider  the  RAPID  SPREAD  OF 
CHRISTIANITY  AMONG  THE  GENTILE  NATIONS,"  &c.  He  still  speaks 
of  the  apostolic  labors,  previous  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. Here  is  still  another  —  "  The  event  sufficiently  declares 
this  ;  for,  without  those  remarkable  and  extraordinary  circum- 
stances, no  rational  account  can  be  given  of  the  rapid  propa- 
gation of  the  gospel  THROUGHOUT  THE  WORLD."  Again — "  Such 
then  were  the  true  causes  of  that  amazing  rapidity  with  which 
the  Christian  religion  spread  itself  upon  the  earth." 

And  all  this  was  previously  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. What,  then,  becomes  of  the  supposition,  that  the  gos- 

*  Peter,  it  seems,  was  especially  the  apostle  to  the  Jews,  as  was  Paul  to  the 
Gentiles. 

|  The  historian  asks,  Why  should  we  speak  of  this  ?  It  was  so  universally 
known  and  considered,  that  it  seemed  unnecessary  to  repeat  it 


314  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

pel  trumpet  was  not  sounded  among  the  Gentile  nations  until 
after  the  fall  of  Jerusalem  ?  It  amounts  to  nothing  ;  or,  ra- 
ther, it  amounts  to  a  palpable  contradiction  of  both  Scripture 
and  history.  "WTio  can  deny  this  conclusion  ? 

3.  These  testimonies  from  the  Scriptures  and  from  history 
also  utterly  overthrow  the  strange  notion  of  Dr.  Clarke,  that 
the  Gentiles  were  not  chosen  or  elected,  until  after  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem.  This  sentiment  he  expresses  in  these  words  — 
"  Shall  gather  togetJier  his  elect — the  Gentiles,  who  were  now 
chosen  or  elected,  in  place  of  the  rebellious,  obstinate  Jews,  ac- 
cording to  our  Lord's  prediction,  Matt.  viii.  11, 12,  and  Luke 
xiii.  28,  29." 

The  Doctor  was  now,  of  course,  as  the  whole  connections 
show,  referring  to  the  period  after  the  fall  of  Jerusalem.  He 
also  adds  this  most  surprising  declaration  —  "It  was  after 
this  period  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  began,  and  his  reign 
was  established  in  almost  every  part  of  the  world."  How 
such  a  notion  could  consist  with  any  proper  idea  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  it  is  not  easy  to  comprehend.  Does  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  spoken  of  in  this  connection,  mean  the  gospel 
dispensation?  Then,  certainly,  it  began  previously  to  the 
fall  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  preached  as  being  "  at  hand,"  at 
the  beginning  of  our  Lord's  ministry.  And  he  himself  de- 
clared, Matt.  xii.  28  :  "  If  I  by  the  finger  of  God  cast  out 
devils,  then  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  unto  you"  St.  Paul 
declared  to  the  Colossians,  that  they  had  ~been  translated  into 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Col.  i.  13.  The  whole  tenor  of  New 
Testament  teaching  implies  that  the  Mediatorial  or  gospel 
kingdom  was  begun,  at  the  latest,  as  soon  as  the  Lord  Jesus, 
being  exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  had  shed  forth 
the  spirit  at  Pentecost. 

Does  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  as  thus  used,  mean  the  church 
under  the  gospel  dispensation?  Then,  of  course,  it  must 
have  begun  as  soon  as  the  church  was  duly  organized  ;  which 
was  certainly  effected  long  before  the  fall  of  Jerusalem.  If 
not,  how  could  the  apostles  have  gone  into  all  the  world,  as 
they  certainly  did,  preaching  the  gospel  unto  all  nations,  and 
gathering  vast  multitudes  into  churches  ?  To  maintain  the 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  315 

notion  here  objected  to,  respecting  the  beginning  of  the  king- 
dom, and  the  time  of  choosing  the  Gentiles  to  be  fellow-citi- 
zens with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God,  (Eph.  ii. 
19,)  absolutely  requires  that  we  should  give  up,  not  only  all 
authentic  historical  testimony,  and  several  distinct  declara- 
tions of  the  Scriptures,  but  also  our  established  doctrines  re- 
lating to  the  nature  of  the  gospel  kingdom,  and  the  time  and 
method  of  establishing  the  Christian  dispensation.  And 
nothing  but  the  saddest  bewilderment  by  an  erroneous  theory 
of  exegesis  could  have  led  such  generally  excellent  and  able 
divines  into  such  inconsistent,  unscriptural  notions  respecting 
some  of  the  plainest  teachings  of  the  [New  Testament. 

4.  And  to  represent,  too,  that  immediately  after,  and  in 
consequence  of,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  church  be- 
gan anew  its  extension  and  triumphs,  so  as  to  justify  the  rep- 
resentation of  "  then  "  sending  abroad  the  angels  into  all  the 
world,  is  not  only  without  any  proof  from  Scripture  or  histo- 
ry, but  contradictory  to  both.  The  most  that  can  be  gathered 
from  history  merely  shows  that  the  gospel  continued  to  pre- 
vail during  the  second  century,  as  it  had,  with  "  amazing  ra- 
pidity," as  Mosheim  has  it,  prevailed  over  the  world  during 
the  apostolic  age.  There  was  no  beginning  of  an  era  in  re- 
spect to  this  matter ;  no  "  then,"  after  the  fall  of  the  city,  to 
correspond  with  the  language  of  the  prophecy.  There  was 
nothing  new,  or  noticeable,  in  the  labors  or  success  of  the  church, 
to  correspond  with  the  distinctly  marked  "  then  "  in  the  words 
of  Christ. 

Besides,  both  Scripture  and  history  show  that  fearful  back- 
sliding and  heresy  affected  the  church,  at  the  very  time  that 
it  is  claimed  to  have  spread  with  such  rapidity,  after  the  fall 
of  Jerusalem.  The  letters  to  the  seven  churches  in  Asia  show 
how  it  was  in  that  quarter  ;  and  the  history  of  that  period  speaks 
of  numberless  heresies  and  calamities  that  corrupted  and 
crippled  the  church.  Mosheim  treats  particularly  of  the  va- 
rious causes  of  the  rapid  spread  of  the  gospel,  not  only  before, 
but  after,  the  fall  of  the  city  ;  but  so  far  as  the  author  has 
been  able  to  discover,  he  has  in  no  way  affirmed  or  intimated 
that  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  had  any  influence  in  pro- 


316  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

moting  the  prosperity  of  the  church.  Probably  there  cannot 
be  found  a  single  clear  testimony  to  prove  such  an  assump- 
tion. What  then  becomes  of  all  these  confident  affirmations 
in  regard  to  the  unparalleled  extension  of  the  church,  after, 
and  in  consequence  of,  the  fall  of  Jerusalem  ?  And  what  is 
there  to  justify  the  common  method  of  expounding  the  text 
before  us,  by  applying  it  in  this  manner  ?  Let  him  answer 
who  can. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  true  interpretation  of  the  text,  it 
may  be  expedient  to  notice  the  method  and  manner  of  Profes- 
sor Stuart's  treatment  of  the  passage,  in  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra, 
July,  1852. 

But  let  the  reader  first  notice,  and  distinctly  remember,  the 
varied,  yet  definite,  expressions  of  the  prophecy,  and  then 
read  the  irreverent  criticisms,  or  cavilings,  perhaps,  of  the 
Professor. 

"And  he  shall  send  his  angels  with  the  loud  sound  of  a 
trumpet.  The  angels  are  always  at  his  bidding,  ;  swift  to  do 
his  will.'  But  the  trumpet  ?  A  literal  one  ?  And  the  time  f 
Is  it  at  the  general  judgment?  Then  how  can  the  literal 
sound  of  a  trumpet  reach  the  ears  of  the  unnumbered  dead, 
who  have  slept  in  dust  for  thousands  of  years  ?  The  bare  idea, 
if  literally  taken,  is  of  course  a  manifest  absurdity."  Again  : 
"  A.nd  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect,  from  the  four 
winds,  from  the  extremities  of  the  heavens  unto  their  extremi- 
ties. From  the  four  winds,  means,  from  every  direction. 
Four  points  constituted  the  whole  compass  of  the  Hebrews. 
But  what  literally  are  the  extremities  of  the  heavens  ?  Do 
the  elect  live  there,  so  as  to  be  summoned  from  those  places  ? 
or  have  they  died,  and  then  been  buried  there  ?  The  extrem- 
ities of  the  heavens,  if  literally,  would  be,  we  hardly  know 
where.  The  fixed  stars  are  a  part  of  the  Hebrew  heavens  ; 
and  can  our  text  mean  from  their  extremities  ?  Surely  not. 
The  phrase  merely  means,  from  one  extremity  of  the  earth  to 
the  opposite  one,  wherever  the  elect  may  be  found  ;  at  least, 
it  means  so,  in  case  a  universal  gathering  is  meant  here.  I 
suppose  Mark  has  explained  it  by  the  saying :  '  From  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  land,  to  the  extremity  of  heaven.  But  is  the 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  317 

gathering  together  to  be  interpreted  as  literal  f  Or,  does  it 
mean,  the  affording  to  them  an  assylum  or  place  of  refuge 
from  the  evils  which  would  overtake  the  wicked,*  like  the 
promise  that  the  Messiah  should  '  gather  the  lambs  in  his  arms, 
and  carry  them  in  his  bosom'?  Isa.  xl.  11."  Again — "Fi- 
nally, the  elect  are  to  be  gathered  '  from  (sx,  out  of)  the  four 
winds.'  Are  there,  in  point  of  fact,  no  more  than  four  ?  And 
if  literality  be  insisted  on,  then  we.  may  ask  whether  the  elect 
live  in  those  winds,  and  so  are  to  be  gathered  out  of  them  ?" 
And  again,  resuming  his  quibbling  on  the  expression,  from 
the  extremities  of  the  heavens,  —  and  showing,  very  truly, 
how  the  Hebrews  commonly  used  such  terms,  —  "After  all 
these  explanations  and  modifications,  we  may  now  ask :  What 
can  be  the  meaning  of  literally  gathering  the  elect  from  the 
very  extremities  of  the  earth  and  the  heavens  ?  Do  they  — 
will  they  live  at  the  Arctic  and  Antarctic  poles  ?  These  are 
extremities,  indeed ;  but  not  such  ones  as  will  be  inhabit- 
ed, methinks,  when  the  trumpet  shall  sound  for  the  assembling 
of  the  elect." 

Now,  what  does  all  this  quibbling  about  our  Lord's  own 
language  amount  to,  but  to  show  that  the  author  of  it  was 
resolutely  bent  on  maintaining  the  figurative  theory  of  inter- 
pretation, at  all  hazards  ;  even  to  the  almost  —  if  not  quite  — 
ridiculing  of  the  very  idea  of  any  literal  gathering  of  the  elect, 
even  at  the  final  coming  of  Christ  ?  He  does  not  seem  to  have 
had  the  faintest  idea  that  there  is  any  difference  between  lit- 
erality and  scientific  accuracy. 

Suppose  we  adopt  the  method  of  interpreting  figuratively 
all  the  expressions  in  the  Bible  that  do  not  quite  comport  with 
modern  scientific  accuracy  ;  what  would  become  of  God's  rev- 
elation to  men  ?  There  would  be  nothing  left  of  it,  unless  it 
might  be  the  bare  skeleton  ;  and  that  would  be  all  dislocated 
and  shattered  into  fragments. 

The  question  is  not,  what  may  the  language  be  made  to 
mean,  or  what  would  it  import  in  a  professedly  and  rigidly 
scientific  treatise,  but  what  was  the  common  understanding" 

*  He  understood  the  gathering  of  the  elect  to  refer,  some  how  or  other,  to 
eTents  subsequent  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 


318  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

and  use  of  the  language  in  colloquial  discourse.  With  this 
consideration,  there  was  not  only  no  indefiniteness,  no  impro- 
priety, no  departure  from  the  usual  LITERAL  use  and  under- 
standing of  the  same  language,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  our 
Lord  conformed  both  to  the  scriptural,  colloquial,  and  histori- 
cal use  of  such  language,  where  figurativeness — in  the  proper 
sense  of  the  term  —  is  altogether  out  of  the  question.  The 
same  quibbling  with  any  other  book  would  be  deemed  inex- 
cusable. And  as  it  relates  to  the  almost  scoffing  at  the  idea 
of  a  trumpet  being  employed  in  the  final  gathering  of  the 
elect,  because,  forsooth,  he  does  not  understand  "  how  the  lit- 
eral sound  of  a  trumpet  can  reach  the  ears  of  the  unnumbered 
dead,  who  have  slept  in  dust  for  thousands  of  years  —  the 
bare  idea  of  wrhich,  if  taken  literally,  is  of  course  a  manifest 
absurdity;" — as  to  this  matter,  it  is  only  necessary  to  say, 
that  the  Scriptures  declare  that  it  will  1e  so,  and  the  declara- 
tion is  in  those  portions  that  even  Prof.  Stuart  did  not  dare  to 
interpret  figuratively. 

Take,  for  example,  1  Cor.  xv.  51 :  "  Behold,  I  show  you  a 
mystery  :  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed, 
52.  In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  TEUMP  ; 
FOE  THE  TEUMPET  SHALL  SOUND,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised 
incorruptible,  and  we  shall  oe  changed."  1  Thess.  iv.  16  :  "  For 
the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with 
the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  TEUMP  OF  GOD  ;  and 
the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first" 

But  the  Professor  did  not  see  how  the  literal  sound  of  a 
trumpet  was  going  to  wake  the  "  unnumbered  dead,  who  have 
slept  in  dust  for  thousands  of  years." 

Indeed !  But  can  he  comprehend  how  the  blowing  of  rams 
horns  overthrew  the  walls  of  Jericho  ?  Or  how  Jfoses*  rod 
brought  a  river  out  of  a  flinty  rock  ?  Or  how  the  same  rod, 
held  in  one  position,  caused  Israel  to  prevail ;  held  in  anoth- 
er position,  let  Amalek  ?  Or,  to  come  a  little  nearer  to  our 
own  times,  can  he  explain  how  the  carpenter's  son  opened  the 
eyes  of  the  blind  with  a  little  moistened  clay  ?  Or  how  he 
restored  defective  and  missing  members  by  a  touch  of  his 
finger  ?  Besides  all  this,  did  he  properly  consider  the  differ- 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  319 

ence  between  "  the  trump  of  GOD,"  and  a  common  trumpet, — 
a  military  trumpet,  for  instance,  or  a  dinner  horn  ? 

There  is  doubtlessly  as  much  difference  between  the  trumpet 
of  God  and  the  trumpets  of  men,  as  between  the  voice  of  God 
and  a  human  voice.  What  can  a  man's  voice  do  ?  Some- 
thing, certainly  ;  it  can  gather  a  battalion  of  soldiers  around 
an  uplifted  standard  ;  or  give  direction  to  a  war-ship  upon  the 
deep.  But  (Ps.  xxix.)  "  The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  upon  the 
waters.  The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  powerful.  The  voice  of 
the  Lord  is  full  of  majesty.  The  voice  of  the  Lord  breaketh 
the  cedars  ;  yea,  the  cedars  of  Lebanon.  The  voice  of  the 
Lord  divideth  the  flames  of  fire.  The  voice  of  the  Lord  sha- 
keth  the  wilderness  ;  yea,  the  Lord  shaketh  the  wilderness  of 
Kadesh."  "When  there  was  no  sun,  and  no  light,  and  no  world, 
God  tried  his  voice.  "  He  spake,  and  it  was  done  ;  He  com- 
manded, and  it  stood  fast !"  "And  God  said,  Let  there  be 
light,  and  there  was  light !"  "  By  the  word  of  the  Lord 
were  the  heavens  made ;  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the 
breath  of  his  mouth  !  " 

Now,  if  any  man  will  undertake  to  calculate  the  nature  and 
power  of  the  divine  trumpet,  by  association  with  the  instru- 
ments used  by  man,  why  not  do  the  same  with  respect  to 
God's  voice,  and  God's  word? 

But  the  Professor  met  with  another  difficulty :  "  Is  it  a 
literal  trumpet,  one  literally  heard  by  sleeping  dust  and  ashes 
of  countless  millions  ?  That  would  be  a  very  forcible  exege- 
sis, which  should  give  literal  ears  and  hearing  to  lifeless  dust" 
Astonishing !  Well,  now,  it  would  be  useless  to  engage  in  a 
logomachy  about  this  matter;  and,  as  facts  are  stubborn 
things,  suppose  we  test  this  matter  by  facts.  The  thing  to  be 
ascertained  is,  whether  "  lifeless  dust"  can  hear  a  literal  voice. 
If  so,  perhaps  "  lifeless  dust"  might  hear  a  trumpet,  provided 
the  same  being  should  use  it.  "  LAZARUS,  COME  FORTH  !"  Will 
the  Professor  please  ascertain  whether  this  "  lifeless  dust"  had 
literal  ears  to  hear  that  literal  voice  ?  Let  us  try  again  :  "  TA- 
IJTHA-CUMI  !  "  Did  that  dead  child  hear  that  voice  ?  But 
there  must  be  literal  ears  in  order  to  hear  a  literal  voice,  or  a 
faum/pet ! 


320  HARMONY   ANT>   EXPOSITION. 

Well,  let  us  try  the  winds  and  the  waves.  "  PEACE  !  BE 
STILL  !  "  Whether  the  wild  winds,  and  the  Galilean  waters 
had  literal  ears  to  hear  that  literal  voice,  is  the  question. 

Notwithstanding  the  irreverent  quibbling  that  has  provoked 
these  few  remarks,  is  it  not  enough  for  us  to  know  that  "  the 
hour  is  coming  in  which  ALL  THAT  ARE  IN  THEIR  GRAVES 
SHALL  HEAR  HIS  VOICE,  and  shall  come  forth"  ?  Whether  "  life- 
less dust"  will  have  literal  ears,  or  not,  is  but  of  little  conse- 
quence, provided  they  hear,  and  live.  But  this  method  of 
caviling  and  quibbling  with  sacred  things  is  deserving  of  uni- 
versal reprehension. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Principal  subject — GATHERING  THE  ELECT. 

The  True  Exposition  —  A  Universal  Gathering — "Who  are  the  Elect? — Ap- 
plied to  believing  Gentiles  —  Scripture  Proofs  —  Election  of  the  Gentiles  — 
To  what  Privileges  —  For  what  Reason  —  Applied  to  the  Israelites  —  Scrip- 
ture Proofs  —  Reason  of  their  Election  —  Chosen  as  a  People  —  By  an  ever- 
lasting Covenant  —  They  should  be  preserved  Forever  —  St  Paul's  View  — 
Two  great  Divisions  of  the  Elect —  Relation  of  the  two  —  Relation  of  the 
two-fold  Gathering — How  the  dead  will  be  Gathered  —  Design  of  the  Res- 
urrection— Hope  of  the  ancient  Saints  —  Who  will  be  raised  at  the  first 
Resurrection — The  Elect  in  two  Conditions  —  God's  purpose  to  gather  them 
all  — When  —  Where  —  Why  —  How  —  Views  of  the  Apostolical  Church  — 
Gathering  of  those  who  will  be  alive  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord — The  final 
Assembly  —  Examples  of  Gathering  of  the  Elect — Design  of  the  Transfig- 
uration on  the  Mount 

Verse  31.     AND  HE  SHALL  SEND  HIS  ANGKLS  WITH  A  GREAT  SOUND  OF  A  TRUMPET, 

AND  THEY    SHALL  GATHER  TOGETHER   HIS    ELECT  FROM  THE  FOUR  WINDS,  FROM  ONE  END 
OF  HEAVEN  TO  THE  OTHER. 

THE  more  agreeable  labor  remains,  of  giving  the  true  in- 
terpretation of  this  passage.  And  this  will  be  done  princi- 
pally by  referring,  with  a  few  observations,  to  other  portions 
of  the  Scriptures  which  apply  to  the  same  subject.  For  hav- 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  321 

ing  shown  the  palpable  inconsistency  and  untenableness  of 
the  common  figurative  interpretation,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
linger  in  this  part  of  the  labor.  It  would  be  much  easier  to 
amplify  the  subject  to  a  volume,  than  to  condense  it  to  a  sin- 
gle chapter.  The  gathering  of  the  elect  will  be  one  of  the 
most  astonishing  and  glorious  transactions  of  the  closing  up 
of  the  present,  and  opening  of  the  coming,  dispensation.  The 
text  clearly  teaches  a  universal  gathering  of  the  elect,  for  in 
the  most  emphatic  manner,  according  to  the  Hebrew  idiom, 
it  affirms  that  they  will  be  brought  in  from  all  directions  and 
from  all  distances. 

Bur  WHO  ARE  INTENDED  BY  THE  ELECT  ?  "  To  the  law  and 
to  the  testimony." 

First,  That  true  believers  among  the  Gentiles  are  entitled 
the  Elect,  is  too  plainly  and  too  frequently  taught  in  the 
Scriptures  to  be  called  in  question  by  any  one.  St.  Paul's 
epistle  to  the  Ephesians  —  who  were  mostly  Gentiles  —  fully 
sets  this  matter  forth  to  the  comprehension  of  all.  Chap.  i. 
3  :  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ.  4.  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy 
and  without  blame  before  him  in  love.  5.  Having  predesti- 
nated us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  him- 
self, according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will."  Chap.  ii. 
11 :  "  Wherefore,  remember  that  ye  being  in  time  past  Gen- 
tiles in  the  flesh,  who  are  called  Uncircumcision  by  that  which 
is  called  the  Circumcision  in  the  flesh  made  by  hands ;  12. 
That  at  that  time  ye  were  without. Christ,  being  aliens  from 
the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covenants 
of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world. 
13.  But  now,  in  Christ  Jesus,  ye,  who  sometimes  were  far  off, 
are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  14.  For  he  is  our 
peace,  who  hath  made  both  [Jews  and  Gentiles]  one,  and  hath 
broken  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  us  ;  15. 
Having  abolished  in  his  flesh  the  enmity,  (the  law  of  com- 
mandments in  ordinances,)  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain 
one  new  man,  so  making  peace ;  16.  And  that  he  might  rec- 
21 


322  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

oncile  both  [Jews  and  Gentiles]  unto  God  in  one  body  [the 
church,  which  is  the  body  of  Christ]  by  the  cross,  [by  his 
sacrificial  death  on  the  cross,]  having  slain  the  enmity  there- 
by :  17.  And  came  and  preached  peace  unto  you  [Gentiles] 
that  were  afar  off,  and  to  them  [Jews]  that  were  nigh.  18.  For 
through  him  we  both  [Jews  and  Gentiles]  have  access  by  one 
spirit  unto  the  Father.  19.  Now,  therefore,  ye  are  no  more 
strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints, 
and  of  the  household  of  God."  [God's  family  or  people.] 
Chap.  iii.  5 :  "  Which  in  other  ages  [former  times]  was  not 
made  known  unto  the  sons  of  men,  [generally]  as  it  is  now 
revealed  unto  his  holy  apostles  and  prophets  by  the  Spirit ; 
6.  That  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellow  heirs,  and  of  the  same 
Ijody,  [the  church]  and  partakers  of  his  PROMISE  IN  CHRIST  lyy 
the  gospel" 

These  long  quotations  have  not  been  selected  on  account  of 
their  having  the  word  election,  or  elect,  brought  out  with 
prominence  ;  but  because  the  identical  thing  called  election 
is  so  fully  set  forth  and  described  with  reference  to  its  fact, 
nature,  and  application  to  the  Gentiles.  And  because,  like- 
wise, it  so  clearly  represents  their  election  as  being  of  the 
same  nature  and  intention,  with  reference  to  salvation  by 
Christ,  as  the  election  of  the  Jews. 

Their  election  to  salvation  was  through  Christ.  Hence  Paul 
wrote  to  the  [Gentile]  Galatians,  (iii.  29,)  "  And  if  ye  be 
Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  [spiritual]  seed,  and  heirs 
according  to  the  promise"  As  just  quoted  above,  (verse  6,) 

"  That  the  Gentiles  should  be partakers 

of  his  PROMISE  IN  CHRIST,  .by  the  gospel."  Hence  Paul  could 
say  to  the  Thessalonians,  (1  Thess.  i.  4,)  "  Knowing,  breth- 
ren beloved,  your  election  of  God"  And,  (2  Thess.  ii.  13,) 
"  But  we  are  bound  to  give  thanks  always  to  God  for  you, 
brethren  beloved  in  the  Lord,  because  God  hath  from  the  be- 
ginning chosen  you  to  salvation,  through  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth."  So  he  could  say  to  the  Col- 
ossians,  (iii.  12,)  "  Put  on,  therefore,  as  the  ELECT  OF  GOD, 
holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,"  &c.  In  the 
same  way  could  Peter  (1  Pet.  i.  1,)  say  to  the  "  strangers  scat- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  323 

tered  abroad  throughout  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia, 
and  Bythinia,"  verse  2,  "  ELECT  according  to  the  foreknowl- 
edge of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit, 
unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Chap.  ii.  9  :  "  But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priest- 
hood, an  holy  nation,*  a  peculiar  people  ;  that  ye  should  show 
forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness 
into  his  marvellous  light :  10.  "Which  in  time  past  were  not 
a  people,  but  are  now  the  people  of  God  /  which  had  not  ob- 
tained mercy,  but  now  have  obtained  mercy."  This  harmoni- 
zes with  the  words  of  Paul.  Rom.  ix.  24  :  "  Even  us  whom 
he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but  also  of  the  GEN- 
TILES :  25.  As  he  saith  also  in  Osee,  [Hosea  ii.  23,]f  I  will 
call  them  My  people,  which  were  not  my  people ;  and  her 
beloved,  which  was  not  beloved." 

This  election  of  the  Gentiles  was  '  distinctly  taught  in  the 
great  apostolic  council  at  Jerusalem,  which  was  convened  on 
the  occasion  of  the  conversion  of  multitudes  of  Gentiles. 
Acts  xv.  13 :  "  And  after  they  had  held  their  peace,  James 
answered  them,  saying,  Men  and  brethren,  hearken  unto  me. 
14.  Simeon  [Simon  Peter]  hath  declared  how  God  at  the  first 
[in  the  case  of  Cornelius]  did  visit  the  GENTILES,  TO  TAKE  OUT 
OF  THEM  A  PEOPLE  FOE  HIS  NAME."  [To  be  called  by  his  name.] 
These  many  passages  (and  there  are  many  others)  sufficiently 
show  that  believers  among  the  Gentiles  are,  to  all  intents,  the 
people  of  God ;  they  are  chosen,  elected,  brought  into  cove- 
nant relations,  are  partakers  of 'the  promise  made  unto  the  fa- 
thers, are  Abraham's  spiritual  children,  and  heirs  of  a  heav- 
enly inheritance.  Among  the  elect  who  are  to  be  gathered 
from  all  directions,  and  from  all  distances,  are  the  Relieving 
Gentiles. 

Secondly.  That  God  has  other  elect  people — people  who 
have  from  the  beginning  sustained  that  title  —  is  just  as  clear 

*  Not  in  the  political  sense.  This  refers  to  the  Gentile  Chistians,  as  must 
be  evident  from  the  next  verse. 

f  It  is  clear  from  the  connections  that  Paul  understood  this  to  refer  to  the 
Gentiles ,  but  the  passage  in  Hosea  is  not  as  clear  in  relation  to  this  applica- 
tion. 


324  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

from  the  Scripture.  The  natural  descendents  of  Israel  have 
been  from  the  beginning  the  people  of  God  in  a  peculiar  sense, 
if  not  in  the  highest  spiritual  sense.  God  chose  the  descend- 
ents of  Jacob  from  all  other  people,  that  they  might  bear  his 
name,  and  sustain  covenant  relations  with  him  such  as  do  not 
belong  to  any  other  people.  This  is  taught  in  a  multitude  of 
places  in  the  Bible  ;  let  a  few  passages  suffice  as  examples ; 
Deut.  vii.  6  :  "  For  thou  art  an  holy  people  unto  the  Lord 
thy  God :  The  Lord  thy  God  hath  chosen  thee  to  he  a  special 
people  unto  himself,  above  all  people  that  are  upon  the  face 
of  the  earth"  Their  election,  however,  was  not  on  account 
of  their  natural  superiority  in  numbers  :  Verse  7  :  "  The  Lord 
did  not  set  his  love  upon  you,  nor  choose  you,  because  ye  were 
more  in  number  than  any  people ;  for  ye  were  the  fewest  of 
all  people." 

Neither  was  their  election  founded  on  their  superior  excel- 
lence, as  God  often  took  occasion  to  remind  them.  Yerse  8  : 
"  But  because  the  Lord  loved  you,  and  because  he  would  keep 
the  OATH  which  he  had  SWORN  UNTO  YOUR  FATHERS."  Chap  x. 
15  :  "  Only  the  Lord  had  a  delight  in  thy  FATHERS  to  love  them, 
and  he  CHOSE  THEIR  SEED  AFTER  THEM,  EVEN  YOU,  ABOVE  ALT. 
PEOPLE,  as  it  is  this  day. 

It  was  in  virtue  of  the  original  covenant  made  with  Abra- 
ham, Isaac  and  Jacob  that  God  not  QT&J  elected  their  posterity 
to  be  his  peculiar  people,  but  continued  to  regard  therm  as  his 
people  through  all  their  rebellions  and  chastisements.  The  cov- 
enant, on  God's  part,  was  everlasting  and  irrevocable,  out  of 
respect  to  the  oath  sworn  unto  Abraham.  Gen.  xvii.  7 :  "  And 
I  will  establish  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  thy 
seed  after  thee,  in  their  generations,  for  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant, to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  AND  TO  THY  SEED  AFTER  THEE.  8. 
And  I  will  give  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee,  the  land 
wherein  thou  art  a  stranger,  all  the  land  of  Canaan,  for  an 

EVERLASTING  POSSESSION  ;    AND  I  WILL  BE   THEIR  GoD." 

This  covenant  of  God  was  not  made  with  the  individuals, 
as  individuals,  but  with  the  people  of  Israel,  as  a  distinct  gen- 
eration of  people.  So  that  God  might,  without  breaking  his 
covenant,  destroy  multitudes  of  individual  Israelites,  until  the 


HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  325 

generation  or  race  was  reduced  to  a  mere  remnant ;  yet  he 
would  preserve  the  race  as  a  distinct  generation  of  people,  out 
of  regard  to  his  everlasting  covenant. 

There  are  very  many  passages  directly  upon  this  point ; 
but  we  call  attention  to  only  a  few  as  specimens.  In  Leviti- 
cus, chap,  xxvi.,  which  the  reader  is  requested  to  peruse,  we 
have  a  prediction  of  the  terrible  destructions  and  desolations 
which  should  befall  them  on  account  of  their  iniquities,  until 
they  should  be  reduced  to  the  last  extremities,  as  if  God  had 
utterly  abandoned  them.  But  God  would  not  forget  his  cove- 
nant to  l)e  the  God  of  the  seed  of  Jacob.  Yerse  42  :"  Then 
wttl  I  remember  my  covenant  with  Jacob,  and  also  my  cove- 
nant with  Isaac,  and  also  my  covenant  with  Abraham  will  I 
remember  ;  and  I  will  remember  the  land.  [Then  desolate.] 
43.  The  land  also  shall  be  left  of  them,  and  shall  enjoy  her 
Sabbaths,  while  she  lieth  desolate  without  them ;  and  they 
shall  accept  the  punishment  of  their  iniquity ;  because,  even 
because  they  despised  my  judgments,  and  because  their  soul 
abhorred  my  statutes." 

So  dreadfully  would  the  Jews  depart  from  keeping  their 
part  of  the  covenant.  Yerse  44  :  "  AND  YET  FOR  ALL  THAT, 
when  they  he  in  the  land  of  their  enemies,  I  WILL  NOT  CAST 

THEM  AWAY,  NEITHER  WILL  I  ABHOR  THEM,  TO  DESTROY  THEM  UT- 
TERLY, and  tO  BREAK  MY  COVENANT  With  them  /  FOR  I  AM  THE 

LORD  THEIR  GOD.  45.  But  I  will,  for  their  sakes,  remember 
the  covenant  of  their  ANCESTORS,  whom  I  "brought  forth  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  sight  of  the  heathen,  THAT  I  MIGHT  BE 
THEIR  GOD.  I  AM  THE  LORD  !"  "With  this  understanding  of 
the  unchangeableness  of  the  Lord's  covenant  to  be  their  God 
forever,  we  may  perceive  the  force  of  such  passages  as  the  fol- 
lowing, which  was  uttered  at  a  time  when  he  was  terribly 
threatening  his  people  :  Mai.  iii.  6  :  "  FOR  I  AM  JEHOVAH,  I 

CHANGE  NOT  ;  THEREFORE  YE  SONS  OF  JACOB  ARE  NOT  CONSUMED  !"* 

This  people  are  still,  in  the  same  sense  as  formerly,  under 

*  Our  Lord  appears  to  have  had  this  specific  thing  in  view,  when,  after  pre- 
dicting the  calamities  of  the  Jews  for  eighteen  hundred  years,  he  declared — 
"  E  ^svsa  au-ry] —  This  race,  lineage,  or  generation,  shall  not  pass  away  till  all 
these  things  be  fulfilled." 


326  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

the  security  of  the  same  oath,  the  chosen,  the  elect,  the  cove- 
nant people  of  the  unchangeable  God.  Time  after  time  the 
Lord  has  given  the  most  solemn  assurances  that  his  covenant 
should  never  be  violated,  though  Israel  should  do  wickedly, 
and  be  wasted  with  j  udgments.  Such  assurances  as  the  follow 
ing  quotations  express  are  not  to  be  misunderstood. 

Isa.  liv.  5 :  "  For  thy  Maker  is  thy  husband  :  The  Lord  of 
hosts  is  his  name  ;  and  thy  Eedeemer  the  Holy  One  of  Israel : 
The  God  of  the  whole  earth  shall  he  be  called.  6.  For  the 
Lord  hath  called  thee  as  a  woman  forsaken  and  grieved  in 
spirit,  and  a  wife  of  youth,  when  thou  wast  refused,  saith  thy 
God.  7.  For  a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee  ;  but  with 
great  mercies  will  I  gather  thee.  8.  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid 
my  face  from  thee  for  a  moment ;  but  with  everlasting  kind- 
ness will  I  have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Eedeemer. 
9.  For  this  is  as  the  waters  of  Noah  unto  me  :  for  as  I  have 
sworn  that  the  waters  of  Noah  should  no  more  go  over  the 
earth  ;  so  have  I  sworn  that  I  would  not  be  wroth  with  thee, 
nor  rebuke  thee.  10.  For  the  mountains  shall  depart,  and 
the  hills  be  removed  ;  but  my  kindness  shall  not  depart  from 
thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed, 
Baith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee." 

Jer.  xxxi.  35  :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  which  giveth  the  sun 
for  a  light  by  day,  and  the  ordinances  of  the  moon  and  of  the 
stars  for  a  light  by  night,  which  divideth  the  sea  when  the 
waves  thereof  roar  :  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name :  36.  If 
those  ordinances  depart  from  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  then 
the  seed  of  Israel  also  shall  cease  from  being  a  nation  before 
me  forever.  37.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  :  If  heaven  above  can 
be  measured,  and  the  foundations  of  the  earth  searched  out 
beneath,  I  will  also  cast  off  all  the  seed  of  Israel  for  all  that 
they  have  done,  saith  the  Lord." 

It  would  seem  as  if  the  Lord  had  done  all  that  he  could  to 
express  the  unchangeableness  of  his  covenant  with  Israel,  as 
a  generation,  or  race  of  people.  What  has  been  quoted  is 
only  a  small  part  of  the  multitude  of  jexpressed  remembrances 
and  assurances  that  he  would  continue  to  be  their  God  for- 
ever, and  that  they  should  be  kept  from  being  consumed ; 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  327 

like  the  burning  bush  in  Mount  Sinai  which  Moses  saw,  ever 
burning,  but  never  consumed. 

They  are  still  his  elect,  chosen  for  Jacob  his  servant's  sake, 
and  preserved  according  to  the  everlasting  covenant  made 
with  Abraham. 

How  appropriately,  then,  and  how  affectingly  did  Paul 
speak,  in  Horn.  xi.  1 :  "I  say,  then,  HATH  GOD  CAST  AWAY  HIS 
PEOPLE  ?  GOD  FORBID  !  For  1  also  am  an  Israelite,  of  the  seed 
of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  2.  GOD  HATH  NOT 

OAST    AWAY    HIS     PEOPLE    WHICH    HE    FOREKNEW.       Wot    ye    not 

what  the  Scripture  saith  of  Elias  ?  how  he  maketh  interces- 
sion to  God  against  Israel,  saying,  3.  Lord,  they  have  killed 
thy  prophets,  and  digged  down  their  altars ;  and  I  am  left 
alone,  and  they  seek  my  life." 

Would  not  he  cast  them  away  for  all  this  ?  Let  us  see. 
Yerse  4 :  "  But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God  to  him  ?  I  have 
reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men,  who  have  not  bowed 
the  knee  to  Baal.  5.  Even  so,  then,  at  this  present  time  also, 

THERE  IS    A   REMNANT    ACCORDING   TO    THE    ELECTION    OF   GRACE." 

Ah,  but,  saith  unbelieving  man,  who  thinketh  God's  ways, 
and  God's  thoughts,  are  like  his  own  ways  and  thoughts,  — • 
who  forgetteth  the  sovereignty  of  God,  and  his  faithfulness  as 
a  covenant  keeper,  —  what  have  the  Israelites  done  that  they 
should  be  thus  favored,  after  all  their  misbehavior  ?  What 
works  of  well  deserving  have  they  to  boast,  that  God  should 
distinguish  them  by  favors  ?  On  what  ground  of  goodness 
on  their  part  did  they  obtain,  or  do  they  still  retain,  their 
election  f 

Let  St.  Paul  answer  :  Yerse  5  :  "  Even  so  at  this  present 
time  also,  there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  ELECTION  of 
GRACE.  6.  And  if  by  grace,  then  is  it  no  more  of  works  ;  oth- 
erwise grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  is  it 
no  more  of  GRACE  :  otherwise  work  is  no  more  work.  7.  What 
then  ?  Israel  [in  general]  hath  not  obtained  that  which  he 
seeketh  for :  but  the  ELECTION  (verse  5,)  hath  obtained  it,  and 
the  rest  [of  the  nation]  were  blinded."  Yerse  25  :  "  For  I 
would  not,  brethren,  that  you  should  be  ignorant  of  this  mys- 
tery, (lest  ye  should  be  wise  in  your  own  conceits,)  that  blind- 


328  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

ness  in  part  hath  happened  to  Israel,  until  the  fullness  of  the 
Gentiles  be  come  in.  28.  As  concerning  the  gospel,  they  [the 
unbelieving  part]  are  enemies  for  your  sakes  :  but  as  touch- 
ing the  ELECTION,  they  are  BELOVED  for  the  FATHERS?  SAKES.  29. 

FOR  THE  GIFTS  AND  CALLING  OF  GoD  ARE  WITHOUT  REPENTANCE." 

God  will  not  repent  of  his  choice.  Nothing  is  plainer  than 
that  God  still  regards  the  descendants  of  Israel  as  his  own 
people,  his  covenant  people,  his  called  people,  his  chosen,  his 
elect  people. 

Thus  we  learn  from  the  Scriptures  that  the  elect  are  com- 
prised in  two  great  divisions,  the  believing  Gentiles,  and  the 
children  of  Israel.  Now,  as  the  Lord  Jesus  has  broken  down 
the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  Jews  and  believing 
Gentiles,  so  as  to  make  of  twain  one  new  man  in  himself ; 
and  as  the  Christian  Gentiles  are  now  reckoned  as  fellow- 
citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God ;  as  the 
Gentiles,  by  becoming  Christ's,  become  the  spiritual  seed  of 
Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful ;  and  as,  in  this  way,  they 
become  heirs  of  the  promise ;  therefore,  it  is  but  reasonable 
to  suppose,  that,  in  the  final  gathering  of  the  elect,  to  enjoy 
the  promised  inheritance,  the  believing  Gentiles  and  the  seed 
of  Jacob  will  be  gathered  into  one ;  that  the  other  sheep 
which  were  not  originally  of  the  Jewish  fold,  shall  be  gath- 
ered with  the  Jews,  so  that  there  may  be  one  fold  and  one 
Shepherd.  The  Lord  Jesus  will  come  the  second  time  to 
redeem  all  his  people  ;  and  will  not  therefore  overlook  either 
portion  of  those  who  are  in  covenant  relation  with  himself. 

It  is  certain  from  the  Scriptures  that  the  believing  Gentiles 
will,  in  some  way,  enjoy  the  felicities  and  glories  of  the  natu- 
ral descendents  of  Jacob  in  the  day  of  their  final  triumph ; 
though  the  precise  manner  in  which  the  joint  happiness  shall 
be  enjoyed  does  not  appear  to  be  clearly  set  forth  in  the 
Scriptures. 

"We  may  expect,  then,  that  the  elect,  all  of  the  elect,  will 
be  gathered  together  in  the  great  day  of  the  final  deliverance 
of  the  saints.  And  this  will  be  done  in  immediate  connec- 
tion with  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  as  the  Saviour  has  taught 
us  in  the  text  under  comment. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  329 

When  St.  Paul  had  occasion  to  refer  to  this  gathering  of 
the  saints,  he  does  not  appear  to  have  made  any  distinction, 
between  Jews  and  Gentiles.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  he 
speaks  of  believers  when  he  declares  that  such  as  "  remain 
unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,"  will  be  changed.  And  it  is 
clearly  revealed,  also,  that  the  unconverted  Jews  will  be  con- 
verted in  connection  with,  or  immediately  after,  their  gath- 
ering. It  may  not  be  possible  for  us  now  to  ascertain  the 
precise  connection  which  the  gatherings  of  the  two  branches 
of  the  great  family  of  the  elect  will  sustain  to  each  other. 
It  is  enough,  however,  that  the  fact  of  the  gathering  of  both 
is  clearly  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 

And  there  is  not,  after  all,  any  greater  difficulty  in  under- 
standing this  matter,  than  there  was,  previous  to  the  birth  of 
Christ,  in  settling  a  number  of  points  with  respect  to  \h§  place 
and  circumstances  of  his  nativity.  After  the  fulfillment  of 
the  predictions  all  was  plain.  So  it  will  undoubtedly  be  in 
respect  to  all  the  comparatively,  or  really  obscure  prophecies 
relating  to  the  subject  before  us. 

That  all  will  be  gathered  into  one  glorious  kingdom  of 
purity  and  peace  under  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  sufficiently 
revealed  in  the  divine  word.  And  this  is  to  comprise  all  the 
elect,  even  those  who  have  died  and  gone  to  their  Redeemer's 
immediate  presence,  whose  bodies  also  sleep  in  Jesus,  being 
included  within  that  redemption  which  is  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  for  it  was  man  —  a  being  of  two  natures  united — 
that  God  created ;  it  was  the  same  complex  being  that 
sinned,  making  use  of  both  natures  ;  and  it  was  in  both  na- 
tures that  he  suffered,  in  both  natures  that  he  died  :  That  is, 
there  was  a  separation  between  the  two  natures,  the  union  of 
which  constituted  the  life  of  MAN,  as  God  created  him  to  exist, 
not  in  the  simple  oneness  of  a  single  nature,  but  in  the  unity 
of  a  complex  nature.  Death  is,  in  no  proper  sense,  annihila- 
tion of  either  soul  or  body  ;  but  an  interruption  of  man's — 
complex  man's  —  existence,  in  the  mode  of  the  existence 
which  was  designed  in  his  original  creation  :  Death  deprives 
the  spirit  of  the  originally  intended  association  and  mutual 
happiness  of  the  other  part  of  man — the  body  ;  and  it  ae- 


330  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

prives  the  lody  of  its  life-giving,  and  glory-giving  connection 
with  the  spirit.  In  fine,  death  interrupts  the  original  and 
perfect  mode  of  marts  existence  :  he  is,  in  fact,  no  longer  man, 
in  the  original  sense  of  the  term,  after  he  experiences  death : 
The  disembodied  spirit  is  never  represented  in  the  Scripture 
as  being  in  its  highest  and  happiest  mode  and  state  of  exis- 
tence :  the  period  between  death  and  the  resurrection  — 
though  a  period  of  measurable  happiness  to  the  holy,  and 
unhappiness  to  the  wicked — is  never  represented  as  the  period 
of  consummation  to  either.  Hades — the  place  and  state  of 
the  dead — is  not  to  be  the  everlasting  condition,  of  the  dead. 
The  wicked  are  to  have  a  resurrection,  and  then  —  after  be- 
coming men — complex  beings,  as  they  were  originally — they 
are  to  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  See  Kev.  xx.  13-15. 
This  will  be  the  consummation  of  their  punishment ;  and  the 
devil  and  his  angels  await  the  same  punishment ;  (Kev.  xx. 
10,)  this  being  undoubtedly  what  they  had  in  view  in  their 
awful  inquiry,  "What  have  we  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus,  thou 
Son  of  God  ?  Art  thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  BEFORE  THE 
TIME  ? "  Matt.  viii.  29.  So,  on  the  other  hand,  the  apostles 
and  prophets  always  looked  forward — not  to  their  disem- 
bodied state — but  to  the  resurrection  state —  as  the  time  of 
their  completed  happiness  and  glory.  Thus  Paul  —  on  the 
verge  of  the  spirit  world,  with  a  crown  of  glory  in  view  — • 
did  not  expect  to  receive  it  until  the  judgment  advent  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  See  2  Tim.  iv.  8.  And  so  the  souls  of  the  mar- 
tyrs are  represented  as  being  under  [at  the  foot  of]  the  divine 
altar,  waiting  for  the  time  to  come  for  their  final  glory  ;  and 
the  connections  of  the  passage  show  that  they  expected  it  at 
the  second  coming  of  the  Lord.  See  Rev.  vi.  9-17. 

And  this  final  reward  of  the  saints  is  elsewhere  specifically 
connected  with  the  judgment  of  the  nations,  and  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead.  See  Rev.  xi.  15 :  "  And  the  seventh 
angel  sounded ;  and  there  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  say- 
ing, the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of 
our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  forever  and 
ever.  16.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  which  sat  before 
God  on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their  faces,  and  worshiped  God. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  331 

17.  Saying,  we  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God  Almighty, 
which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come ;  because  thou  hast 
taken  to  thee  thy  great  power,  and  hast  reigned.  18.  And  the 
nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come,  and  the  time  of 

the  DEAD,  THAT  THEY  SHOULD   BE  JUDGED,  and  that  thou  shouldst 

give  REWARD  UNTO  THY  SERVANTS  THE  PROPHETS,  AND  TO  THE 

SAINTS,  AND  THEM  THAT  FEAR  THY  NAME,  SMALL  AND  GREAT  J  AND 
SHOULDST  DESTROY  THEM  THAT  DESTOYED  THE  EARTH."  * 

To  this  very  period  the  prophet  Daniel  was  instructed  to 
look  for  the  consummation  of  his  glory.  Dan.  xii.  13  :  "  But 
go  thou  thy  way  till  the  end  he  /  for  thou  shalt  REST,  AND  STAND 
IN  THY  LOT  AT  THE  END  OF  DAYS."  And  this  was  the  hope  of 
Job  ;  chap.  xix.  25  :  "  For  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth, 
and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth : 
26.  And  though,  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet 
in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  :  27.  Whom  I  shall  see  for  my- 
self, and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another ;  though  my 
reins  be  consumed  within  me."  Like  Daniel,  he  should  rest 
until  the  time  revealed —  "  the  latter  day  " —  and  then  he  should 
come  forth — retaining  his  identity — to  see  and  enjoy  his 
Redeemer,  who  should  "stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the 
earth"  Such  views  of  the  Scriptures  give  significancy  to 
the  passage,  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord 
from  henceforth :  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  [or,  from  henceforth 
saith  the  Spirit,  Yea]  that  they  may  REST  FROM  THEIR  LABORS  ; 
[the  present  condition]  AND  THEIR  WORKS  DO  FOLLOW  THEM," — 
for  God  to  reward  at  the  great  day  when  Paul  expected  his 
crown,  viz:  at  Christ's  "appearing;"  (2  Tim.  iv.  8,)  "THE 

TIME  OF  THE  DEAD,  THAT  THEY  SHOULD  BE  JUDGED,  and  that  thou 
Shouldst  GIVE  REWARD  UNTO  THY  SERVANTS  THE  PROPHETS,  AND 

TO  THE  SAINTS  [martyrs]  AND  TO  THEM  THAT  FEAR  THY  NAME, 
SMALL  AND  GREAT."  It  is  to  be  the  time  of  giving  reward  unto 
all  the  elect,  as  this  passage  and  others  distinctly  teach. 

This  sufficiently  proves  that  the  first  resurrection  described 
in  Rev.  xx.  4,  6,  is  not  to  be  restricted  to  the  martyrs,  but  to 
include  all  "  which  had  not  worshiped  the  beast,  neither  his 

*  The  whole  scope  and  connections  of  the  passage  show  that  all  this  belongs 
to  the  beginning  —  and  not  to  the  ending  —  of  the  Millennium. 


332  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their  foreheads, 
or  in  their  hands."  It  is  evident,  however,  that  among  these 
"  souls  "  which  were  waiting  to  be  raised  at  the  beginning  of 
the  thousand  years,  those  that  were  "  beheaded  for  the  witness 
of  Jesus"  were  conspicuous  ;  and  perhaps  John,  without  ex- 
cluding others,  (as  described  in  chap.  xi.  18,)  did  indeed  refer 
particularly  to  the  martyrs.  At  all  events,  we  must  not  make 
one  part  of  his  prophecy  contradict  another. 

Now,  it  may  be  asked,  What  has  all  this  to  do  with  the 
subject  in  hand — the  gathering  of  the  elect?  Much,  every 
way  :  these,  in  part,  are  the  very  elect  which  are  to  be  gath- 
ered :  Daniel  and  Job,  the  holy  patriarchs  and  prophets,  the 
apostles  and  martyrs,  "  and  all  that  feared  the  Lord,  both 
small  and  great," — these  are  to  be  gathered  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  makes  his  appearing.  We  desire  to  know  who  they  are, 
with  respect  to  their  character  /  and  where  they  are,  with  re- 
spect to  their  condition. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  this  truly  interesting  and  impor- 
tant Scripture  doctrine  ;  —  that  the  elect  are  comprised  in  two 
great  divisions — the  natural  descendants  of  Abraham  through 
Israel,*  and  the  spiritual  descendants  of  Abraham  through 
Christ.  And  we  also  learn  that  the  elect  are  at  present,  and 
will  be  at  the  second  advent,  in  two  different  conditions  — 
living  in  the  flesh,  and  dead  in  the  Lord,  or  sleeping  in 
Jesus.  We  must  also  understand  that  the  living  elect  will  be 
found  in  two  different  conditions — actual  believers,  and  unbe- 
lievers, under  an  unchangeable  covenant.  The  covenant,  how- 
ever, as  has  been  abundantly  shown,  does  not  relate  to  Israel 
in  respect  to  the  individual  persons  /  but  it  relates  to  Israel 
in  respect  to  the  generation,  or  race  ;  so  that  there  shall  never 
be  a  casting  away  of  that  people  which  God  foreknew,  and 
elected.  The  inquiry  is  now  naturally  suggested — Does  God 
purpose  to  gather  together  all  his  elect  f  And,  if  so,  when  and 
how  are  they  to  be  gathered  ? 

*  Not  all  of  the  natural  posterity,  but  the  "  remnant  according  to  the  elec- 
tion of  grace"  Rom.  xi.  6.  The  generation  of  Jacob  should  never  cease  to  be 
an  elect  generation,  as  God  has  abundantly  shown  in  his  word ;  and  as  has  been 
proved  in  the  previous  quotations.  Individuals  might  be  cast  away,  but  the 
race  never. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  333 

To  this  inquiry,  the  following  passage  is  applicable  :  Eph.  i. 
9 :  "  Having  made  known  unto  us  the  'mystery  of  his  will,  ac- 
cording to  his  good  pleasure,  which  he  hath  purposed  in  him- 
self* 10.  That  in  the  DISPENSATION  OF  THE  FULLNESS  OF  TIMES, 
he  might  GATHER  TOGETHER  IN  ONE,  ALL  THINGS  IN  CHRIST,  BOTH 

WHICH  ARE   IN    HEAVEN,  AND  WHICH  ARE    IN  EARTH,  IN  HIM.       11. 

In  whom  also  we  [Jews,  notwithstanding  our  unbelief  and 
wickedness,]  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predestinated 
according  to  the  purpose  of  him  w^ho  worketh  all  things  after 
the  counsel  of  his  own  will :  12.  That  we  should  be  to  the  praise 
of  his  glory,  who  first  [the  Jews  first  believed  on  Christ]  trustr 
ed  in  Christ.  13.  In  whom  ye  [Gentiles]  also  trusted,  after 
that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your  salvation : 
in  whom,  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that 
Holy  Spirit  of  PROMISE,  14.  Which  [the  Holy  Spirit  of  prom- 
ise] is  the  earnest  of  our  INHERITANCE  UNTIL  THE  REDEMPTION  OF 

THE   PURCHASED  POSSESSION." 

The  fulfillment  and  application  of  ihepromise  of  the  inher- 
itance, is,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  and  as  the  text  itself 
teaches,  something  to  be  done  hereafter,  until  which  time  of 
redeeming  the  inheritance,  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise  is  our 
earnest.  That  time  is  called  "  THE  DISPENSATION  OF  THE  FULL- 
NESS" OF  TIMES."  It  does  not  belong  to  the  present  dispensa- 
tion ;  for  during  this  dispensation  we  have  only  the  earnest 
of  the  heavenly  inheritance  to  be  enjoyed  without  interrup- 
tion hereafter.  The  plain  truth  is  just  this  —  Rom.  viii.  17  : 
"  If  children,  then  heirs  ;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with 
Christ ;  if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we  may  also 
be  glorified  together.  18.  For  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of 
this  present  time  [present  dispensation]  are  not  worthy  to  be 
compared  with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  IN  us.  19. 
For  the  earnest  expectation  of  the  creature  [creation]  waiteth 
fo  the  MANIFESTATION  OF  THE  SONS  OF  GOD.  20.  For  the  crea- 
ture [creation]  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  not  willingly,  but 

*  The  thing  is  a  mystery  revealed;  but,  however  mysterious,  or  even  in- 
credible to  men,  yet  it  is  willed  of  God's  own  good  pleasure.  He  has  not  been 
moved  to  it  by  any  external  influence,  but  he  hath  purposed  it  in  himself  ;  it 
ia  a  mighty  display  of  sovereign  grace. 


334:  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

by  reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope  ;  21. 
Because  the  creature  \creqtion\  itself  also  shall  he  delivered 
from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
CHILDREN  OF  GOD.  22.  For  we  know  that  the  whole  creation 
groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now.*  23.  And 
not  only  they,f  but  ourselves,  also,  which  have  the  first  fruits 
of  the  Spirit,  even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  wait- 
ing for  the  ADOPTION,:):  to  wit,  THE  REDEMPTION  OF  OUR  BODY." 
This  was  what  they  were  waiting  for :  the  adoption  or  re- 
demption of  ^BODY; — the  other  part  of  the  being  that 
Christ  has  redeemed.  "Well,  this  time  for  which  they  wait- 
ed ;  this  time  of  receiving  the  hoped-for  and  promised  in- 
heritance /  this  time  of  the  MANIFESTATION  of  THE  SONS  OF  GOD 
IN  GLORY  ;  this  is  declared  to  be  the  time  when  the  "  BODY" 
should  be  "  ADOPTED,"  that  is,  redeemed  by  the  resurrection 
from  death  ;  it  is  the  time  when  the  CREATION  ITSELF  shall  be 
delivered  "  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God ;" 
(which  must  be  accomplished  by  the  renovation,  or  restitution 
of  the  creation  from  the  effects  of  sin ;)  and  this  period  is 

Called  "  THE  FULLNESS  OF  TIMES," Or  "  the  DISPENSATION  OF  THE 

FULLNESS   OF   TIMES."   Eph.  1.  10. 

It  is  at  this  time — this  time  so  abundantly  and  so  variously 
denned  and  marked,  that  God  intends  to  "  gather  together 
in  one,  all  things  in  Christ,  loth  which  are  in  heaven,  and 
which  are  on  earth,  in  him"  All  things  in  both  worlds  that 
are  in  Christ.  And  it  will  be  done,  as  we  learn  from  the  dec- 
larations of  Paul,  as  well  as  from  many  others  which  are  not 
referred  to,  at  that  period  when  the  redemption  of  the  ~body 
will  be  effected,  and  when  the  creation  itself  shall  be  renova- 
ted, or  restored  to  its  original  condition.  Now  we  ascertain 
from  the  Scriptures,  that  all  this  is  to  be  accomplished  at  the 
second  coming  of  Christ.  The  Scriptures  that  teach  this  are 
so  numerous  and  so  very  plain,  that  it  seems  to  be  needless  to 
detain  the  argument  by  a  particular  reference  to  them :  some 

*  So  dreadfully  has  sin  affected  the  physical  creation  with  which  men  in 
this  world  come  in  contact. 

f  The  preceding  verse  defines  this. 

j  Not  spiritual  adoption ;  that  had  been  already  obtained.    See  verse  16. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  335 

of  them,  however,  have  already  been  quoted  for  other  purpos- 
es. The  general  gathering  together  unto  Christ  was  a  famil- 
iar idea  to  the  apostolic  church.  St.  Paul  was  specifically 
understood  when  he  besought  the  Thessalonians  in  this  man- 
ner :  "  Now  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  our  gathering  together  unto  him" 

It  still  remains  to  show  how  the  elect,  in  their  diversified 
conditions,  will  be  finally  gathered  into  one. 

1.  How  will  those  be  gathered  who  have  died  in  the  Lord, 
and  whose  spirits  have  been  with  Christ  ever  since  their  ab- 
sence from  the  body  ?  These  are  a  part  of  the  things  in  Christy 
in  heaven,  that  are  waiting  the  adoption  of  their  bodies.  St. 
Paul  will  testify  to  the  precise  point  in  question :  1  Thess.  iv. 
13  :  "  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  con- 
cerning them  which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as 
others  which  have  no  hope.  14.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus 
died  and  rose  again,  even  so  THEM  ALSO  WHICH  SLEEP  IN  JESUS 
WILL  GOD  BRING  WITH  HIM."  This  is  the  way,  then,  that  saints 
who  have  died  will  be  gathered :  they  will  come  from  heaven 
with  Christ  when  he  comes  in  his  everlasting  kingdom. 

This  same  doctrine  of  the  coming  of  the  saints  with  the 
Lord,  is  taught  elsewhere,  in  the  Scriptures,  and  very  plainly. 
1  Thess.  iii.  13 :  "  To  the  end  that  he  may  establish  your  hearts 
unblamable  in  holiness  before  God,  even  our  Father,  at  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  WITH  ALL  HIS  SAINTS."  This 
corresponds  with  the  prediction  previously  quoted  from  Zech. 
xiv.  5  :  "  And  the  Lord  my  God  shall  come,  AND  ALL  THE  SAINTS 
WITH  THEE."  This  doctrine  of  the  coming  of  the  saints  was  re- 
vealed so  long  ago  as  the  time  of  Enoch  :  Jude  14  :  "  And 
Enoch  also,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied  of  these, 
[wicked  men  of  whom  he  was  speaking,]  saying,  Behold,  the 
Lord  cometh  WITH  TEN  THOUSAND  OF  HIS  SAINTS."  It  is  worthy 
of  observation,  that  this  prediction  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord 
with  his  saints,  like  those  from  Paul,  clearly  identify  the  com- 
ing with  (1.)  The  judgment  and  destruction  of  the  wicked ; 
(2.)  With  the  bringing  of  the  saints,  and  the  appearance  be- 
fore the  presence  of  the  Lord  in  GLORY  ;  (3.)  With  the  reno- 
vation of  the  earth,  as  taught  by  Peter.  An  examination  of 


336  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

the  epistle  of  Jude  will  show  this  :  Terse  15,  speaks  specifi- 
cally of  his  coming  to  judgment ;  verses  IT,  18,  identify  the 
time  of  which  Peter  was  speaking,  (2  Pet.  iii.  3,)  when  he 
spake  of  the  coming  of  the  day  of  the  Lord,  as  a  thief  in  the 
night,  and  renovating  the  heavens  and  the  earth ;  verse  24, 
evidently  has  in  view  the  same  glory  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  that  both  Peter  and  Paul  referred  to  :  "  Now  unto  him 
that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling,  and  to  present  you  fault- 
less before  the  PRESENCE  OF  HIS  GLOKY  with  exceeding  joy"  &c. 
It  was  undoubtedly  this  that  Paul  had  in  view  in  1  Thess.  ii. 
19  :  "  For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing  ?* 
Are  not  even  ye  [their  converts]  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  at  his  coming"  He  expected  THEN  to  meet  the 
souls  saved  ~by  his  instrumentality,  and  to  rejoice  with  them  in 
the  presence  of  Christ. 

Although  this  gathering  together,  this  coming,  and  this 
meeting  of  the  saints  at  that  time  would  naturally  imply  the 
resurrection  of  their  bodies,  in  order  that  those  who  then  are 
gathered  might  be  the  persons  who  were  redeemed, — i.  e.,  com- 
plex beings,  as  they  were  originally  formed,  —  yet  we  are  not 
left  merely  to  infer  this  fact ;  we  find  it  plainly  revealed  that 
their  bodies  will  be  raised  at  the  same  time ;  and,  in  some 
way,  unexplained  to  men,  yet  known  to  God,  the  two  natures 
will  be  joined  again  in  immortal  union  ;  thus  consummating 
the  redemption  of  the  saints  by  the  "  adoption"  of  their  bodies. 
This  is  taught  by  St.  Paul  in  1  Cor.  xv.  23 :  "  But  every  man 
[will  be  raised]  in  his  own  order  ;  Christ  the  first  fruits  ;  af- 
terward, they  that  are  Christfs,  at  his  coming"  Verse  51 : 
"  Behold,  I  show  you  a  mystery :  we  shall  not  all  sleep,  but 
we  shall  all  be  changed,  52.  In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump  /  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and 
the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed." 
Phil.  iii.  20  :  "  For  our  conversation  is  in  heaven;  from  whence 
also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  21. 
Who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned 
1/ike  unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to  the  working 

*  As  the  successful  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


HAJRMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  337 

whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself." 
1  Thess.  iy.  16  : *  ^  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from 
heaven  with  a  SHOUT,  with  the  VOICE  OF  THE  ARCHANGEL,  and 
with  the  TKUMP  OF  GOD;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise 
first." 

It  is  thus  that  our  Lord  will  gather  this  portion  of  his  elect, 
precisely  as  he  predicted  in  the  text  under  notice :  "  And 
then  shall  he  send  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,* 
and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds, 
from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other. "f 

It  cannot  have  failed  to  strike  the  attentive  reader,  how 
naturally,  and  how  abundantly  the  other  portions  of  the  Bible 
elucidate,  identify,  and  sustain  the  text  under  comment,  when 
it.  is  interpreted  literally.  And  it  has  been  sufficiently  shown 
what  havoc  of  history  and  Scripture  is  made  by  the  attempts 
to  expound  it  figuratively. 

Having  thus  explained  the  text,  in  reference  to  those  who 
shall  have  died  in  the  Lord,  it  will  be  very  easy  to  explain  it, 
with  reference  to  those  who  will  be  found  alive  at  his  coming. 
They  will  be  miraculously  and  instantly  changed  so  as  to  be 
immortal.  Their  corruptible  body  will  put  on  incorruption  ; 
their  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality.  This  change  will  prob- 
ably be  such  as  the  Lord  exhibited  in  his  transfiguration  on 
the  mount.  He  then  appeared,  for  a  time,  in  his  glory,  and 
exhibited  himself  as  he  will  be  seen  when  he  comes  to  judge 
the  world.  Such  a  change  was  undoubtedly  experienced  by 
Enoch  and  Elijah  when  they  were  translated  to  heaven. 

The  saints  will  be  found  living  in  every  part  of  the  world, 
when  the  Lord  shall  come  with  all  his  holy  angels,  and  the 
spirits  of  those  who  have  died  in  the  Lord ;  and  they  will,  by 
the  omnipotence  of  Christ,  be  so  transformed  as  to  be  like  the 
saints  who  will  be  raised  from  the  dead.  And  all  of  them, 
whether  changed  from  the  living,  or  raised  from  the  dead, 

*  Marg.  "  With  a  trumpet,  and  a  great  voice." 

|  Their  dust  will  be  sleeping  in  every  part  of  the  earth ;  and  whether  the 
returning  spirit  goes  to  meet  the  risen  body,  or  the  dust  is  gathered  and  quick- 
ened into  life  where  the  spirits  are  gathered,  the  agency  of  the  angels  will  be 
according  to  the  established  method. 

22 


338  HAKMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

will  have  bodies  like  unto  the  Lord's  glorious  body ;  for  they 
are  to  dwell  in  his  kingdom,  and  see  his  face  forever  more. 
Hence  St.  John  says,  (1  John  iii.  2,)  "  Beloved,  now  are  we  the 
sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be ;  but 
we  know  that  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  le  like  him  ; 
for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is"  St.  Paul  says,  (Col.  iii.  4,) 
"  When  Ohrist,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also 
appear  with  him  in  glory"  And  he  also  speaks  of  this  trans- 
formation in  1  Cor.  xv.  49 :  "And  as  we  have  borne  the  im- 
age of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heaven- 
ly. 50.  Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and  blood  cannot 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  /*  neither  doth  corruption  inherit 
incorruption.  51.  Behold,  I  show  you  a  mystery :  we  shall 
not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  52.  In  a  moment, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump,"  &c.f 

It  will  be  at  this  time,  and  by  means  of  this  change,  that 
the  elect  who  shall  be  living  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  shall 
be  gathered  with  those  who  come  with  him  from  heaven.  St. 
Paul  was  inspired  and  led  to  inform  us  of  the  order  in  which 
these  two  great  divisions  of  the  elect  will  be  finally  gathered 
unto  one  another,  and  unto  the  Lord. 

This  is  done  distinctly  enough  in  1  Thess.  iv.  14.  "  For  if 
we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also 
which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  ~bring  with  him.  [When  he 
comes.]  15.  For  this  we  say  unto  you,  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  [the  Lord  had  revealed  it,]  that  we  which  are  alive, 
and  remain  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  shall  not  prevent 
[go  before]  them  which  are  asleep.  16.  For  the  Lord  himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the 
archangel,  and  with  the  trumph  of  God ;  and  the  dead  in 
Christ  shall  rise  first :  17.  Then  we  which  are  alive  and  re- 
main, SHALT,  BE  CAUGHT  UP  TOGETHER  WITH  THEM  IN  THE  CLOUDS, 


*  From  the  connections  of  the  passage  it  is  evident  that  he  is  here  speaking 
—  not  figuratively  — but  literally:  a  literal  change  of  the  body  to  prepare  it 
for  admission  into  a  literal  kingdom :  therefore  the  necessity  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  and  the  transformation  of  the  living. 

f  See  Note  K,  in  the  Appendix. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  339 

TO  MEET  THE  LORD  IN  THE  AIR  I    AND  SO  SHALL  WE  BE  EVER   WITH 
THE  LORD."* 

Thus  two  portions  of  the  elect  will  be  gathered.  It  is  wor- 
thy of  solemn  consideration,  that  this  two-fold  gathering  at 
the  coming  of  Christ,  was  represented  in  the  scene  of  transfig- 
uration on  the  mount:  Matt.  xvii.  1 :  "And  after  six  days, 
Jesus  taketh  Peter,  and  James,  and  John  his  brother,  and 
bringeth  them  up  into  a  high  mountain  apart,  2.  And  was 
transfigured  before  them  ;  and  his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun, 
and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light.  [Mark  —  And  his  rai- 
ment became  shining,  exceeding  white  as  snow  ;  so  as  no  ful- 
ler on  earth  can  white  them.]  3.  And  behold  there  appear- 
ed unto  them  Moses  and  Elias,  [who  appeared  in  glory ,  Luke,] 
talking  with  him." 

Here  we  find  represented  the  essential  events  of  the  second 
advent :  (1.)  Christ  with  his  glorified  ~body  ;  (2.)  Moses,  "  in 
glory,"  as  the  representative  of  those  who  have  died;  (3.) 
Elijah,  "in  glory,"  the  representative  of  those  who  are 
changed  without  experiencing  death. 

St.  Peter  seems  to  have  understood  this  as  being  in  some 
way  a  representation  of  the  Lord's  coming  in  glory.  2  Pet. 
i.  10  :  "  For  we  have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables, 
when  we  made  known  to  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty." 
He  seems  to  have  had  the  coming  of  Christ  in  power  and  glory 
brought  to  his  mind  as  a  confirmation  of  his  exhortation  and 
encouragement  to  his  brethren.  In  thus  speaking  to  them, 
he  assured  them  that  they  had  "  not  followed  cunningly  de- 
vised fables,"  when  they  made  known  to  them  the  coming  of 
Christ,  because  they  had  had  occnlar  demonstration  of  the 
fact.  The  subject  of  which  he  was  then  treating  was  this  : 
Yerse  10  :  "  Wherefore  the  rather,  brethren,  give  diligence 
to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure  ;  for  if  ye  do  these 
things  ye  shall  never  fall :  11.  For  so  an  entrance  shall  he 
administered  unto  you  abundantly  into  the  EVERLASTING  KING- 
DOM of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

*  See  Note  L,  in  the  Appendix, 


340  HARMONY   ANI>  EXPOSITION, 


CHAPTER  XY. 

Principal  subject — GATHERING  THE  ELECT.     THE  SUBJECT 

APPLIED  TO  THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  JEWS. 

The  point  to  be  established  —  Prophecies  of  Jeremiah,  identifying  the  People, 
their  Restoration,  Rebuilding  of  Jerusalem,  Christ  under  the  name  of  David, 
the  New  Covenant,  <fec.  — Further  Quotations  referring  to  the  People,  the 
Time,  the  Event,  the  Extent,  &c.  —  Confirmation  by  Hosea  —  Prophecies  of 
Isaiah,  relating  to  the  Branch,  the  Ensign,  the  Gathering,  the  Union,  the 
Conversion,  the  Great  Battle,  the  Signs  in  the  Heavens,  the  Destruction  of 
the  Wicked,  the  Judgment  of  Satany  the  Resurrection  of  the  Saints,  the 
Coming  of  the  Lord,  the  New  Heavens  and  Earth,  <fcc. —  Prophecies  of 
Ezekiel,  relating  particularly  to  Christ's  Reign  over  Israel,  the  Renewrl  of 
Palestine,  the  Conversion  and  Restoration,  the  happy  Results,  &c. 

Verse  31.   AND  [THEN}  HE  SHALL  SEND  HIS  ANGELS,  WITH  A  GREAT  SOUND  or  A 

TRUMPET,    AND     THEY     SHALL     GATHER   TOGETHER    HIS    ELECT    FROM    THE   FOUR   WINDS, 

[ Mark :  FROM  THE  UTTERMOST  PART  OF  THE  EARTH,]  FROM  ONE  END  OF  HEAVIN  TO 

THE  OTHER. 

IN  the  foregoing  chapter  it  has  been  shown  from  the 
Scriptures,  how  literally,  and  how  exactly  this  will  be  ful- 
filled with  respect  to  those  portions  of  the  elect  whose  cases 
are  therein  described,  viz  :  those  who  have  died  in  the  Lord, 
and  such  as  remain  alive  at  his  coming. 

It  has  also  been  shown,  in  the  same  chapter,  that  there  is 
still  another  portion  of  those  who  are  called  the  elect,  that 
seem  to  be  treated  in  the  Scriptures  as,  in  some  respects, 
apart  by  themselves.  That  is,  they  have  been  from  the  begin- 
ning a  peculiar  people.  They  have  been  the  subjects  of  a 
peculiar  destiny  ;  and  they  have  been  preserved,  and  will  be 
brought  in,  under  a  peculiar  covenant.  It  will  be  perceived, 
of  course,  that  the  reference  is  to  the  descendents  of  Israel 
who  shall  be  found  on  the  earth  at  that  period  of  time  called, 
the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles.  This  period — whatever  it  may 
specifically  mean,  —  evidently  synchronises  with  the  closing 
up  of  the  present,  and  introducing  the  millennial  dispensation. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  341 

At  that  time  a  change  distinctly  marked  will  characterize  the 
destiny  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles.  In  respect  to  the  Jews, 
two  things  of  great  importance  to  the  subject  in  hand  will 
transpire  :  1.  Their  holy  city  will  cease  to  be  trodden  down 
of  the  Gentiles.  2.  The  blindness  which  has  happened  unto 
Israel  shall  be  taken  away.* 

At  that  time  the  Jews  are  not  only  to  be  converted,  but 
restored  to  the  possession  of  their  fatherland.  At  first,  proba- 
bly, the  conversion  and  restoration  will  be  gradual ;  but,  at  a 
certain  stage  of  the  renovation,  as  the  Scriptures  appear  to 
teach,  the  work  will  be  cut  short  by  unusual  divine  interpo- 
sition, and  hurried  to  its  complete  consummation.  This  dis- 
tinctly predicted  interposition  will  complete  the  gathering  of 
the  elect. 

This  is  the  point  now  presented  for  examination.  The  cer- 
tainty of  this  people  being  still  regarded  as  under  the  cove- 
nant of  election  made  with  their  fathers,  having  already  been 
demonstrated  by  the  many  passages  quoted  in  the  chapter 
devoted  to  that  purpose,  the  application  of  the  text  under 
comment  to  this  specific  subject,  seems  to  be  as  appropriate  as 
its  reference  to  the  gathering  of  the  other  portions  of  God's 
family.  We  may  not  be  able  to  trace  all  the  links  of  rela- 
tionship between  the  gathering  of  this  portion  of  the  elect 
and  the  gathering  of  the  others,  any  more  than  we  can  com- 
prehend the  relationships  that  connect  many  other  parts  of 
the  great  renovation  of  the  disordered  and  wicked  world. 
There  may  be  a  thousand  things  above  our  comprehension. 
But  this  should  not  hinder  us  from  crediting  what  God  has 
seen  fit  to  reveal.  Comprehension  of  separate  truths,  as  indi- 
vidual truths,  is  certainly  much  easier  than  the  comprehen- 
sion of  all  truths,  in  their  intricate  relations  to  one  another. 
If  we  may  not  do  the  latter,  with  satisfaction  to  ourselves, 
it  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  do  the  former,  where  dis- 
tinct truths  are  communicated. 

To  illustrate  —  the  fact  of  God's  universal  sovereignty  is 
distinctly  revealed,  and  also  the  fact  of  human  freedom  and 

*  Lu.  xxi.  24 ;  Rom.  xi.  25. 


342  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

responsibility  ;  but  is  it  not  much  easier  to  comprehend  each 
of  these  truths  by  itself,  than  to  comprehend  them  in  their 
relations  ?  So  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and 
also  the  fact  of  continued  identity,  are  both  revealed ;  but 
the  relation  of  these  truths  to  one  another  has  confounded  the 
mightiest  minds,  when  they  have  considered  some  of  the 
circumstances  which  result  from  the  dissolution  of  the  body, — 
as  when  it  is  eaten,  and  becomes  a  part  of  another  human 
body,  which  also  dies  in  that  condition.  And  so  of  other  cir- 
cumstances which  might  be  suggested.  Yet  we  never,  on 
this  account,  reject  the  two  revealed  truths  of  continued  iden- 
tity and  bodily  resurrection.  Thus,  in  relation  to  the  matter 
in  hand  ;  if  God  has  revealed  the  fact  of  the  final  gathering 
of  the  Jewish  portion  of  the  elect,  in  connection  with  the 
gathering  of  the  others,  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  disbelieve  it, 
even  if  we  may  not  be  able  to  comprehend  it  in  its  relations. 
Relations  of  truths  we  are  not  required  to  comprehend ;  it  is 
the  truths  themselves  that  we  are  under  obligation  to  believe. 
Has  God  revealed  the  fact,  that  the  natural  descendents  of 
Israel,  as  such,  who  remain  until  the  period  of  consummation, 
shall  be  gathered — not  only  unto  himself  spiritually — -but 
unto  the  land  of  their  fathers  literally  ?  This  is  the  question  ; 
and  to  this  point  shall  be  brought  the  "  law  and  the  testi- 
mony." 

1.  In  relation  to  the  fact  of  their  final  gathering  :  Jer.  xxx. 
3 :  "  For  lo,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  bring 
again  the  captivity  of  my  people  Israel  and  Judah,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  and  I  will  cause  them  to  return  to  the  land  that  I  gave 
to  their  fathers,  and  they  shall  possess  it."  The  subsequent 
verses  show  that  it  has  not  yet  been  fulfilled :  Verse  8  :  "  For 
it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that 
I  will  break  his  yoke  from  off  thy  neck,  [Israel  and  Judah, 
verse  4,]  and  I  will  burst  thy  bonds,  and  strangers  shall  no 
more  serve  themselves  of  Kim  :  9.  But  they  shall  serve  the 
Lord  their  God,  and  DAVID  THEIR  KING,  whom  I  will  raise  up 
unto  them.  10.  Therefore,  fear  thou  not,  O  my  servant  Jacob, 
eaith  the  Lord ;  neither  be  dismayed,  O  Israel ;  for  lo,  I  will 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  343 

tave  thee  from  afar,  and  thy  seed*  from  the  land  of  their 
captivity ;  and  Jacob  shall  return,  and  be  in  rest,  and  be  quiet, 
and  none  shall  make  him  afraid"  This  has  not  yet  been 
fulfilled.  Verse  11 :  "  For  I  am  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord, 
to  save  thee  /  though  I  make,  a  full  end  of  all  nations  whither 
I  have  scattered  thee,  yet  will  I  not  ma'ke  a  full  end  of  thee  ; 
but  I  will  correct  thee  in  measure,  and  will  not  leave  thee 
altogether  unpunished."  Alluding  to  their  iniquities  and 
punishments  by  which  they  have  been  wounded,  God  con- 
tinues, verse  17  :  "  For  I  will  restore  health  unto  thee,  and  I 
will  heal  thee  of  thy  wounds,  saith  the  Lord,  because  they 
called  thee  an  Outcast,  f  saying,  This  is  Zion,  whom  no  man 
seeketh  after.  18.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  Behold,  I  will  ~bring 
again  the  captivity  of  JacoVs  tents,  $  and  have  mercy  on  his 
dwelling  places  ;  [both  the  people,  scattered,  and  the  land, 
desolate ;  ]  and  the  city  shall  be  builded  upon  her  own  heap, 
and  the  palace  shall  remain  after  the  manner  thereof."  Yerse 
22  :  "  And  ye  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  your  God" 
xxxi.  1 :  "At  the  same  time,  saith  the  Lord,  will  I  be  the  God 
of  all  the  families  of  Israel,  and  they  shall  be  my  people" 
Yerse  6.  "  For  there  shall  be  a  day,  that  the  watchmen  upon 
the  mount  Ephraim  shall  cry,  Arise  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to 
Zion  unto  the  Lord  our  God !  7.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Sing  with  gladness  for  Jacob,  and  shout  among  the  chief  of 
the  nations ;  publish  ye,  praise  ye,  and  say,  O  LORD,  SAVE  THY 
PEOPLE,  THE  REMNANT  OF  ISRAEL  !  8.  [God's  answer,]  Behold, 
I  will  bring  them  from  the  north  country,  and  gather  them 
from  the  coasts  of  the  earth,  and  with  them  the  blind  and  the 
lame,  the  woman  with  child  arrd  her  that  travaileth  with  child 
together ;  a  great  company  shall  return  thither.  9.  They 
shall  come  with  weeping,  and  with  supplications  will  I  lead 

*  As  the  Jews  are  beloved  for  the  father's  sakes,  and  their  election  was  on 
the  ground  of  a  covenant  made  personally  with  Israel,  their  father,  it  seems 
to  be  kept  in  view  by  such  addresses  as  this — where,  meaning  the  posteri- 
ty — the  address  is  as  to  Jacob  himself. 

\  As  if  God  had  cast  them  away. 

Jit  will  be  noticed  that  this  somewhat  ambiguous  form  of  expression 
means  their  restoration  from  captivity. 


344  HAEMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

them ;  I  will  cause  them  to  walk  by  the  rivers  of  waters  in  a 
straight  way,  wherein,  they  shall  not  stumble  ;  for  I  am  a  Fa- 
ther to  Israel^  and  E/phraim  is  my  first  born.  10.  Hear  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  O  ye  nations,  and  declare  it  in  the  isles 
afar  off,  and  say,  He  that  scattered  Israel  will  GATHER  him, 
and  KEEP  him,  as  a  shepherd  doth  his  flock.  11.  For  the  Lord 
hath  redeemed  Jacob,  and  ransomed  him  from  the  hand  of  him 
that  was  stronger  than  he." 

See  the  whole  chapter,  and  how  the  following  is  connected  : 
Verse  31.  "  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will 
make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the 
house  of  Judah  :  32.  Not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I 
made  with  their  fathers,  in  the  day  that  I  took  them  lyy  the 
hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  *  which  my 
covenant  they  brake,  although  I  was  an  husband  unto  them, 
saith  the  Lord.  33.  But  this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will 
make  with  the  house  of  Israel ;  After  those  days,  saith  the 
Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it 
in  their  hearts  ;  and  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people.  34.  And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his 
neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  know  the  Lord, 
for  they  shall  ALL  know  me,  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the 
greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord ;  for  I  will  forgive  their  ini- 
quity, and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more.  35.  For  thus 
saith  the  Lord,  which  giveth  the  sun  for  a  light  by  day,  and 
the  ordinances  of  the  moon  and  of  the  stars  for  a  light  by 
night,  which  divideth  the  sea  when  the  waves  thereof  roar : 
The  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name :  36.  If  those  ordinances 
depart  from  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  then  the  seed  of  Israel 
also  shall  cease  from  being  a  nation  before  me  forever. f  37. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord ;  If  heaven  above  can  be  measured,  and 

*  That  covenant  did  not  require  him  to  forgive  the  guilty  ;  and  therefore  he 
slew  them  in  the  wilderness.  And  that  covenant  did  not  require  him  to 
renew  their  hearts.  It  was  not  the  original  covenant. 

f  The  whole  connections  show  that  this  reference  to  the  most  unchangeable 
things  in  nature,  was  designed  to  confirm  the  covenant  of  the  Lord ;  but  lest 
there  might  be  some  advantage  taken  of  the  fact  that  the  heavens  are  said  to 
pass  away,  and  there  be  new  heavens,  the  Lord  uses  another  illustrative  con- 
firmation. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  345 

the  foundations  of  the  earth  searched  out  beneath,  I  will  also 
cast  off  all  the  seed  of  Israel  for  all  they  have  done,  saith  the 
Lord.  39.  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  the 
city  shall  ~be  built  to  the  Lord,  from  the  tower  of  Hananeel 
unto  the  gate  of  the  corner.  40.  And  the  measuring  line 
shall  yet  go  forth  over  against  it  upon  the  hill  Gareb,  and 
shall  compass  about  to  Goath.  41.  And  the  whole  valley  of 
the  dead  bodies,  and  of  the  ashes,  and  all  the  fields  unto  the 
brook  of  Kidron,  unto  the  corner  of  the  horse-gate  toward  the 
east,  shall  be  holy  unto  the  Lord  ;  it  shall  not  be  plucked  up, 
nor  thrown  down  any  more  FOKEVEK." 

In  this  long  quotation,  several  things  are  undeniably  evi- 
dent :  (1.)  That  it  refers  to  the  literal  house  of  Israel  and 
Judah  ;  (2.)  That  it  declares  the  purpose  of  God  to  restore 
and  convert  them  ;  (3.)  That  Jerusalem  shall  be  built  again, 
to  be  thrown  down  no  more  forever.  (4.)  That  it  has  not  yet 
been  fulfilled,  and  is  just  as  certain  to  be  fulfilled  as  it  is 
certain  that  Jehovah's  word  is  true. 

And  it  should  be  observed,  also,  (1.)  That  it  is  connected 
with  their  serving  the  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  Icing, 
who  is  to  be  raised  up  unto  them.  (xxx.  9.)  This  of  course 
refers  to  Christ,  in  his  regal  or  'kingly  office,  as  the  successor  of 
David,  according  to  the  covenant  with  David,  that  his 
throne  should  endure  forever.*  (2.)  It  should  be  observed 
again,  that  this  is  predicted  of  those  that  should  be  "  left 
of  the  sword,"  found  "  in  the  north  country,"  in  "  the  coasts 
of  the  earth,"  "  in  the  isles  afar  off,"  "  among  the  chief 
nations;"  that  it  is  "  the  remnant  of  Israel,"  those  that  had 
been  "  wounded  "  with  "  chastisement,"  for  a  "  multitude  of 
iniquities  ; "  of  whom  God  would  "  not  make  a  full  end,"  but 
would  "  correct  in  measure,"  and  not  leave  "  altogether  un- 
punished." It  should  be  noticed,  (3.)  again,  that  their  final 
restoration  was  to  be  accompanied  with  thorough,  spiritual, 
universal  conversion,  leaving  not  one  of  them,  little  or  great, 
that  should  not  know  the  Lord.  (xxxi.  33-34.)  And,  (4.) 

*  See  Ps.  Ixxxix.  18-37.  What  follows  in  the  remainder  of  the  Psalm,  is 
even  now  occurring;  but  the  quotation  above  shows  that  David  is  to  ba 
raised  up. 


34:6  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

this  was  to  be  done  under  a  new  covenant,  differing  from  that 
by  which  they  were  brought  out  of  Egypt,  judged,  and  de- 
stroyed by  myriads ;  it  is  a  covenant  to  "forgive  their  iniqui- 
ty," and  "  remember  their  sin  no  more."  It  is  a  covenant 
that  would  secure  their  repentance:  (xxxi.  9.)  "They  shall 
come  with  weeping,  and  with  supplications  will  I  lead  them." 
And  thus  would  God  grant  them  a  new  heart,  and  a  new 
spirit.  (5.)  It  should  be  done  because,  as  a  generation,  they 
were  "  beloved  for  the  father's  sakes ; "  (Rom  xi.  28,)  and 
because  God  "  loved "  them  "  with  an  everlasting  love." 
(xxxi.  3.)  (6.)  Finally,  all  this  originated  in  the  often  de- 
clared fact,  that  they  were  God's  people ;  (xxx.  3,  22,  and 
xxxi.  1,  7,  14,  20,  23,  33 ;)  they  were  God's  chosen  or  elect 
people,  as  Paul  said,  (Horn.  xi.  28,)  "  As  touching  the  ELEC- 
TION, they  are  "beloved  for  the  father's  sakes"  For  this  reason 
they  were  to  be  gathered  unto  the  Lord,  and  unto  one  another, 
Judah  and  Israel  loth.  xxx.  3,  4,  7,*  10,  11, 18  and  xxxi.  1, 
8,  10,  11,  16,  23,  27.) 

Now  if  all  this  does  not  identify  the  people,  the  gathering, 
the  conversion,  the  final  and  permanent  upbuilding,  then,  of 
certainty,  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  language  to  do  it ;  and  if 
God  wished  to  communicate  information  respecting  their  final 
destiny,  he  could  not  do  it  in  human  language,  if  it  has  not 
been  done  here. 

The  same  general  promises  may  be  found  in  the  thirty-sec- 
ond chapter,  from  the  36th  verse,  f  And  the  same  subject  is 
resumed  in  the  thirty-third  chapter,  in  a  connection  that  fully 
proves  it  to  be  yet  unfulfilled.  Yerse  14 :  "  Behold,  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  perform  that  GOOD  THING- 
which  I  have  PROMISED  unto  the  house  of  Israel,  and  to  the 
house  of  Judah.  15.  In  those  days,  and  at  that  time,  will  I 
cause  the  Branch  of  righteousness  to  grow  up  unto  David ; 
and  he  shall  execute  judgment  and  righteousness  in  the  land. 

*  Jacob  comprises  both. 

fit  is  no  objection  that  this  was  suggested  by  the  captivity  in  Babylon; 
(verse  36,)  for  it  was  done  expressly  to  show  what  great  things  God  was  de- 
termined finally  to  do  for  them.  Just  as  the  troubles  of  this  world  frequent- 
ly suggest  the  promises  of  the  everlasting  heaven. 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION..  34:7 

16.  In  those  days  shall  Judah  be  saved,  and  Jerusalem  shall 
dwell  safely  :  and  this  is  the  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called, 
Jehovah-tsidkenu,  (i.  e.,)  The  Lord  our  Righteousness.  17. 
For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  David  shall  never  want  a  man  to  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  the  house  of  Israel.  \Mcurg.  There  shall 
not  be  cut  off  from  David  a  man  to  sit  upon  the  throne,  &c.] 
18.  Neither  shall  the  priests  the  Levites  want  a  man  before 
me  to  offer  burnt  offerings,  and  to  kindle  meat  offerings,  and 
to  do  sacrifices  continually.  20.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  If  ye 
can  break  my  covenant  of  the  day,  and  my  covenant  of  the 
night,*  and  that  there  should  not  be  day  and  night  in  their  sea- 
son ;  21.  Then  may  also  my  covenant  be  broken  with  David 
my  servant,  that  he  should  not  have  a  son  to  reign  upon  his 
throne ;  and  with  the  Levites  the  priests,  my  ministers.  22. 
As  the  host  of  heaven  cannot  be  numbered,  neither  the  sand 
of  the  sea  measured  ;  so  will  I  multiply  the  seed  of  David  my 
servant,  and  the  Levites  that  minister  unto  me.  23.  More- 
over the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Jeremiah,  saying,  24. 
Consider  thou  not  what  this  people  have  spoken,  saying,  The 
two  families  which  the  Lord  hath  chosen,  [ELECTED]  he  hath 
even  cast  them  off  I  Thus  they  [Gentiles]  have  despised  MY 
PEOPLE,  that  they  should  be  no  more  a  nation  before  them. 
25.  Thus  saith  the  Lord ;  If  my  covenant  be  not  with  day 
and  night,  and  if  I  have  not  appointed  the  ordinances  of 
heaven  and  earth ;  26.  Then  will  I  cast  away  the  seed  of 
Jacob,  and  David  my  servant,  so  that  I  will  not  take  of  his 
seed  rulers  over  the  seed  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  :  for 
I  will  cause  their  captivity  to  return,  and  have  mercy  on 
them." 

It  should  be  observed,  respecting  this  quotation,  (1.)  That 
this  cannot  possibly  be  applied  to  any  people  but  the  natural 
descendents  of  Jacob.  (Yerses  4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24, 25, 
26.)  It  should  be  noticed,  (2.)  That  their  return  to  their 
own  land  should  be  "  in  those  days,  and  at  that  time  "  that 
God  will  "  cause  the  BRANCH  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS  TO  GROW  UP 
UNTO  DAVID,"  to  "  execute  judgment  and  justice  intheland;" 
when  (verse  16,)  "  in  those  days"  Judah  and  Jerusalem  should 

*  Gen.  viii.  22. 


348  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

dwell  safely  ;  and  she  should  be  called,  THE  LORD  OUR  RIGHT- 
EOUSNESS. (3.)  This  must,  then,  refer  to  the  same  time  that 
is  spoken  of  in  Isa.  iv.  2.  "  In  that  day  shall  the  BRANCH  OF 
THE  LORD  be  beautiful  and  glorious ;  [Marg.  beauty  and  glo- 
ry /]  and  the  fruit  of  the  earth  excellent  and  comely,  for 
them  that  are  escaped  of  Israel.  3.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  he  that  is  left  in  Zion,  and  he  that  remaineth  in  Jerusa- 
lem^ shall  be  called  holy,  even  every  one  that  is  written  among 
the  living  in  Jerusalem"  And  this  is  also  connected  with 
Jer.  xxiii.  1 :  "  Wo  be  unto  the  pastors  that  destroy  and  scat- 
ter the  sheep  of  my  pasture  !*  saith  the  Lord.  2.  Therefore 
thussaith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  against  the  pastors  that  feed 
rny  people  yf  Ye  have  scattered  my  floclt,  and  driven  them 
away,  and  have  not  visited  them :  behold,  I  will  visit  upon 
you  the  evil  of  your  doings,  saith  the  Lord.  3.  And  I  will 
GATHER  the  remnant  of  my  flock  out  of  all  countries  whither  I 
have  driven  them,  and  will  bring  them  again  to  their  folds : 
and  they  shall  be  fruitful  and  increase.  4.  And  I  will  set  up 
shepherds  over  them,  which  shall  feed  them  :  and  they  shall 
fear  no  more,  nor  be  dismayed,  neither  shall  they  be  lacking, 
saith  the  Lord.  5.  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that 
I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous  BRANCH,  and  a  KING  SHALL 
REIGN  AND  PROSPER,  and  shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in 
the  earth.  6.  IN  HIS  DAYS  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel 
shall  dwell  safely :  and  this  is  his  name  whereby  he  shall  le 
called,  JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU,  THE  LORD  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  T. 
Therefore,  behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  they 
shall  no  more  say,  The  Lord  liveth,  which  brought  up  the 
children  of  Israel  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  8.  But,  The  Lord 
liveth,  which  brought  up,  and  which  led  the  house  of  Israel 
out  of  the  north  country,  AND  FROM  ALL  COUNTRIES  WHITHER  I 

HAD  DRIVEN  THEM;  AND  THEY  SHALL  DWELL  IN  THEIR  OWN 
LAND." 

This  final  and  universal  gathering,  it  will  be  observed,  is 
to  be  in  the  days  when  the  righteous  BRANCH  is  raised  up 
unto  David,  and  a  KING  shall  reign  and  prosper,  executing 

*  See  chap.  xxxi.  10. 

f  The  priests  and  rabbles  that  assume  the  pastoral  relations  among  the  Jews. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  349 

rhteousness  and  judgment  in  the  earth.  And  the  name  of 
lis  King  is  JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU.*  And  these  passages  are 
mristakably  identified  with  such  as  this  :  Hos.  iii.  4 :  "  For 
le  children  of  Israel  shall  abide  many  days  without  a  king, 
id  without  a  prince,  and  without  a  sacrifice^  and  without 
image,  and  without  an  ephod,  and  without  a  teraphim4 
wd  [after  those  many  days]  shall  the  children  of  Israel 
r,  and  seek  the  Lord  their  God,  AND  DAVID  THEIR  KING  : 
shall  fear  the  Lord  and  his  GOODNESS  IN  THE  LATTER  DAYS." 
The  eleventh  chapter  of  Isaiah  identifies  this  bringing  forth 
the  Branch  unto  David  with  the  final  restoration  of  Israel. 
rerse  1 :  "  And  there  shall  come  forth  a  Hod  out  of  the  stem 
)f  Jesse,  and  a  Branch  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots."  Then 
follows  a  description  of  the  universal  peace  which  shall  result 
from  his  judgment  of  the  poor,  and  destruction  of  the  wicked, 
(verses  3,  4.)  Then,  (verse  9,)  "the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea."  This  is 
after  he  begins  his  reign,  and  after  the  destruction  of  the  wick- 
ed, (verses  3-6.)  Then,  (verse  10,)  referring  evidently  to  the 
earne  period,  "  And  in  that  day,  (verse  1,)  there  shall  be  a 
Root  of  Jesse,§  which  shall  stand  for  an  ensign\  of  \h.Q  people: 
[the  Jews,  as  the  rest  of  the  verse  shows ;]  to  it  [the  ensign] 
shall  the  Gentiles  seek ;  and  his  [the  ensign's]  rest  shall  be 
glorious.  11.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  in  that  day,  that  the 
Lord  shall  set  his  hand  again  THE  SECOND  TIME,  to  recover  the 
REMNANT  of  his  people,  [his  by  election^]  which  shall  be  left, 
from  Assyria,  and  from  Egypt,  and  from  Pathros,  and  from 
Gush,  and  from  Elarn,  and  from  Shinar,  and  from  Hamath, 
and  from  the  islands  of  the  sea.  Yerse  12.  And  he  shall  set 
up  an  ensign  for  the  nations,  [verse  10,]  and  shall  assemble 
the  outcasts  of  Israel,  and  GATHER  TOGETHER  the  dispersed  of 

*  See  Note  M,  in  the  Appendix. 

f  There  is  no  possibility  of  applying  this  to  Christians,  or  to  any  people  but 
the  literal  Jews. 

f  That  is  —  as  the  titles  sufficiently  indicate — they  shall  have  neither  their 
own  temple  service,  nor  idolatry.  How  true  of  their  present  condition ! 

§  "A  BRANCH  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots"    (Yerse  1.) 

|  An  ensign  for  them  to  rally  about  '•  Unto  him  [Shiloh]  the  gathering  of 
the  people  shall  be." 


350  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

Judah  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth*  13.  The  envy 
also  of  Epliraim  shall  depart,  and  the  adversaries  of  Judah 
shall  le  cut  off,"  &c.f 

Chap.  xii.  1 :  "  And  in  that  day  thou  [Israel]  shalt  say,  O 
Lord,  I  will  praise  thee :  though  thou  wast  angry  with  me, 
thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me.  2. 
Behold,  God  is  my  salvation  :  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid : 
for  the  LORD  JEHOVAH  is  my  strength  and  my  song ;  he  also 
is  become  my  salvation."  They  shall  then  know  the  Lord 
their  God,  and  their  Redeemer  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  The 
vail  is  no  longer  blinding  their  hearts.  This  is,  of  course,  all 
yet  to  be  fulfilled. 

In  Isa.,  chapters  xxiv,  xxv.,  xxvi.,  and  xxvii.,  we  have  the 
same  gathering  together  of  the  elect,  unmistakably  identified 
in  various  ways  with  the  portions  previously  quoted.  And  it 
is  remarkable  that  all  the  principal  facts  respecting  the  fear 
and  destruction  of  the  assembled  nations,  are  referred  to :  we 
have,  for  example, 

(1.)  The  gathering  of  the  nations  against  Israel  at  the  time 
the  sun  and  moon  are  darkened,  when  the  Lord  begins  to  de 
liver  his  people.  Chap,  xxiv  21 :  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall  punish  the  host  of  the  HIGH 

ONES  THAT  ARE  ON  HIGH,  and  the   KINGS  OF  THE    EARTH  THAT  ARE 

UPON  THE  EARTH.  22.  And  they  shall  be  gathwed  together,  as 
prisoners  are  gathered  in  the  pit,  and  shall  be  shut  up  in  the 
prison,  and  after  many  days  shall  they  be  visited. £  23.  Then 
the  moon  shall  be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed,  when  the 
Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in  mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem 
and  before  his  ancients  gloriously.  [Marg.  or,  there  shall  be 
glory  before  his  ancients.'] 

(2.)  We  have  also  the  fear  and  perplexity  of  nations,  anc 
the  physical  convulsions  which  are  to  occur  in  connection 

*  Read  the  text  from  the  prophecy  of  Christ  now  under  notice.  The  Lor< 
understood  all  about  this  gathering  of  his  elect  from  the  four  winds. 

f  This  synchronises  with  all  the  other  places  quoted  in  other  parts  of  the 
Treatise,  in  reference  to  the  distress  and  destruction  among  the  nations. 

\  Let  these  remarkable  expressions  be  remembered,  to  show  the  identity 
of  this  with  portions  hereafter  referred  to. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  351 

with  the  Lord's  coming  to  redeem  his  people,  and  to  destroy 
the  wicked,  when  he  shall  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night ;  when 
the  day  of  the  Lord  shall  come  as  a  snare  on  all  them  that  dwell 
on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth.  Yerse  IT.  "  Fear  and  the 
pit,  and  the  snare,  are  upon  thee,  O  inhabitant  of  the  earth. 
18.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  he  who  fleeth  from  the 
noise  of  the  fear,  shall  fall  into  the  pit ;  and  he  that  cometh 
up  out  of  the  midst  of  the  pit  shall  be  taken  in  the  snare ;  for 
the  windows  from  on  high  are  open^  and  the  foundations  of 
the  earth  do  shake.  19.  The  earth  is  utterly  broken  down, 
the  earth  is  clean  dissolved,f  the  earth  is  moved  exceedingly. 
20.  The  earth  shall  reel  to  and  fro  like  a  drunkard  ;  and  shall 
be  removed  like  a  cottage,  and  the  transgressions  thereof  shall 
be  heavy  upon  it ;  and  it  shall  fall,  and  not  rise  again."  Then 
follows  the  passage  first  quoted  in  this  connection  :  verse  21 
seems  to  refer  to  the  binding  of  /Satan  and  his  angels :  those 
"  wicked  spirits  in  high  places,"  as  Paul  calls  them,  Eph.  vi. 
12.J  Yerse  22  refers  to  the  gathering  of  all  nations  against 
Jerusalem,  in  the  great  battle  of  Gog  and  Magog,  as  it  is  de- 
scribed elsewhere.  Yerse  23,  refers  to  the  darkening  of  the 
heavenly  luminaries,  aait  is  described  by  the  Saviour,  and  in 
Joel  iii.  Then  follows  in  chapter  xxv.,  the  grateful  reflections 
of  the  redeemed  Israelites,  in  view  of  God's  overthrow  of  their 
enemies,  his  faithful  fulfillment  of  his  ancient  covenant,  the 
deliverance  of  Israel,  and  the  happiness  that  shall  result,  xxv. 
1 :  "  O  Lord,  thou  art  my  God :  I  will  exalt  thee ;  I  will 
praise  thy  name ;  for  thou  hast  done  wonderful  things :  thy 
counsels  of  old  are  faithfulness  and  truth.  [He  has  fulfilled 
his  old  covenant.]  4.  For  thou  hast  been  a  strength  to  the 
poor,  a  strength  to  the  needy  in  his  distress,  a  refuge  from  the 
storm,  a  shadow  from  the  heat  when  the  blast  of  the  terrible 


*  They  see  wonderful  and  terrible  things  for  them  going  on  in  the  heavens, 
—  even  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man.  They  see  what  is  coming  on  the  earth. 

f  2  Pet,  chap.  iii. 

\  For  we  wrestle  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities,  against 
powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  [Mary.] 
wicked  spirits  in  HIGH  PLACES. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION". 

ones  is  as  a  storm  against  the  wall.*  6.  And  in  this  moun- 
tain f  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of 
fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees :  of  fat  things  full  of 
marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees  well  refined.  Y.  And  he  will 
destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the  covering  cast  over 
all  people,  and  the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all  nations.  8.  He 
will  swallow  up  death  in  victory,  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe 
away  tears  from  off  all  faces ;  and  the  rebuke  of  his  people 
shall  be  taken  away  from  off  all  the  earth :  FOE  THE  LOED 
HATH  SPOKEN  TT.$  9.  And  it  shall  be  said,  in  that  day,  Lo, 
THIS  is  OUE  GOD  ;  WE  HAVE  WAITED  FOE  HIM,  AND  HE  WILL  SAVE 
us :  THIS  is  JEHOVAH  ;  WE  HAVE  WAITED  FOE  HIM  ;  WE  WILL  BE 
GLAD  AND  EEJoicE  IN  HIS  SALVATION  !  10.  For  in  this  mountain 
shall  the  hand  of  the  Lord  rest,  and  Moab  shall  be  trodden 
down  [threshed]  under  him,§  even  as  straw  is  trodden  down 
for  the  dunghill." 

In  chapter  xxvi.  we  have  the  song  of  Israel's  gratitude : 
Yerses  8  and  9  are  affecting  references  to  the  ardent  and  per- 
petual longings  and  expectations  which  have  characterized 
the  Jews  ever  since  their  dispersion.  Verse  13  alludes  to  their 
oppression  under  Gentile  rulers.  Verse  14  refers  to  their  de- 
struction when  God  visited  and  destroyed  them : "  and  in  verso 
21  we  find  the  manner  of  it  stated:  "For  behold  the  Lord 
cometh  out  of  his  place  to  punish  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth, 
for  their  iniquity  y 1|  the  earth  also  shall  disclose  her  blood, 
\_Marg.  bloods,]  and  she  shall  no  more  cover  her  slain."  It 
will  be  a  time  af  general  judgment  of  the  earth  for  all  the  vi- 
olence done  upon  it.  The  martyrs,  such  as  Isaiah,  and  the 

*Ezek.  xxxviii.  9.  God  says  to  Gog  and  Magog  in  reference  to  their  coming 
against  his  people:  "Thou  shalt  ascend  and  coine  like  a  storm,"  <fec. 

•j-They  were  in  their  own  land  then. 

\  It  will  be  found  on  examination  of  those  places  where  "  the  Lord  hath 
spoken"  this,  that  it  is  to  be  accomplished  literally  for  Israel,  at  the  time  of 
his  final  gathering  together. 

§  See  Isa.  xi.  13,  14,  and  the  remaining  verses  of  the  chapter  quoted  above. 

|  This  is  not  the  description  of  a  limited,  but  of  a  universal  destruction, 
when  the  Lord  cometh  out  of  his  place  to  destroy  Israel's  oppressors.  And 
it  has  been  shown  that  they  are  to  be  gathered  together  as  prisoners  into  the 
pit 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  353 

righteous  dead  are  to  be  raised :  the  earth  "  shall  no  more  cov- 
er her  slain." 

And  all  this  is  connected  with  Israel's  gathering  ;  verse  15 
sufficiently  identifies  this.  Yerses  16  and  17  show  how  they 
are  brought  to  the  deepest  anguish,  repentance,  and  supplica- 
tion at  the  time  of  their  delivery,  just  as  it  is  described  in 
Zach.  xii.  Yerse  13  shows  that,  after  all,  their  deliverance 
was  not  by  their  ovai  might  or  wisdom,  but  by  direct  divine 
interposition,  as  it  i*  elsewhere  explained,  by  the  "  Lord  com- 
ing out  of  his  place,"  and  when  he  "  visited  and  destroyed  "  the 
wicked.  This  is  what  we  might  expect  to  find,  for  in  several 
parallel  places,  as  in  the  chapter  forming  the  subject  of  this 
Exposition,  it  refers  it  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  punish 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  gather  together  his  elect.  But 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  elsewhere  identified  with  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead  who  "  sleep  in  Jesus."  And  this  must  re- 
fer to  all  who  died  in  the  faith  of  Jesus,  whether  they  lived 
after  his  first  advent,  and  believed  in  him  who  had  come ;  or 
whether  they  lived  previous  to  the  advent,  and  saw  his  day, 
and  were  glad. 

So  in  the  chapter  now  under  notice,  the  resurrection  of  the 
righteous  dead  is  not  only  inferrable  from  the  expressions  in 
the  21st  verse,  where  the  "  earth  shall  disclose  her  bloods, 
and  shall  no  more  cover  her  slain :  "  Yerse  19  states  the  thing 
expressly:  "THY  DEAD  MEN  SHALL  LIVE,  TOGETHER  WITH  MY 

DEAD  BODY  SHALL  THEY  ARISE.  A  WAKE*  AND  SING,  YE  THAT 
DWELL  IN  THE  DUST  I  FOR  THY  DEWf  IS  AS  THE  DEW  OP  HERBS,  AND 
THE  EARTH  SHALL  CAST  OUT  THE  DEAD."  The  Concluding  V6r- 

ses  of  the  next  chapter  also  serve  to  identify  these  things  with 
the  final  gathering  of  Israel  as  it  is  described  in  the  prophecy 
of  Christ,  by  St.  Paul,  and  by  Isaiah  in  the  eleventh  chapter, 
verses  15, 16,  which  see.  Yerse  12 :  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day£  that  the  Lord  shall  beat  off  from  the  channel  of 

*The  dead  in  Christ  "sleep in  Jesus." 

f  They  will  awake  from  the  dust  as  the  fresh,  blooming  plant  covered  with 
"dew." 

$  It  ia  remarkable  how  definitely  the  times  are  marked  and  connected. 
23 


354  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

the  river  nnto  the  stream  of  Egypt,*  and  ye  shall  be  GATHERED 
one  by  one,  O  ye  children  of  Israel.  13.  And  it  shall  come 
to  pass  in  that  day,  that  THE  GREAT  TRUMPET  SHALL  BE 
BLOWN,  and  they  shall  come  which  were  ready  to  perish  in 
the  land  of  ASSYRIA,  and  the  outcasts  in  the  land  of  EGYPT, 
and  shall  worship  the  Lord  in  the  holy  mount  at  Jeru- 
salem" 

Now,  comparing  Scripture*" with  Scripture,  cannot  fail  to 
show  that  this  gathering  of  all  the  nations  together  against  the 
Jews  ;\  this  coming  forth  of  the  Lord  out  of  his  place  to  judge 
all  nations,  and  to  make  the  earth  disclose  her  Hoods,  and  un- 
cover her  slain  •  this  general  gathering  together  from  the  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  earth  of  the  remnant  of  God's  Jewish 
elect,  according  to  his  original  and  oft-repeated  covenant ; 
this  general  gathering  together  of  this  portion  of  the  elect, 
(Isa.  xxvii.  13,)  "  in  that  day  that  THE  GREAT  TRUMPET  SHALL 
BE  BLOWN,  and  they  shall  come  which  were  ready  to  perish," 
when  "  the  outcasts  in  the  land  of  Egypt "  shall  be  gathered 
in  "  one  by  one; "  this  time  when  the  "  dead  men  shall  live," 
and  "  together  with  "  Isaiah's  "  dead  body  "  they  shall  arise ; 
"  and  the  earth  shall  cast  out  her  dead ; "  this  time  when 
"  the  Lord  shall  set  his  hand  again,  the  second  time,  to  recover 
the  remnant  of  his  people  which  shall  be  left ; "  when  "  he 
shall  set  up  an  ensign  for  the  nations,  and  shall  assemble  the 
outcasts  of  ISRAEL,  and  gather  together  the  dispersed  of  Ju- 
DAH,  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  :  " — it  will  be  found 
that  all  these  events  synchronise,  and  are  just  as  literal  as 
words  can  well  express  them ;  that  they  are,  in  fact,  so  inter- 

*  The  channel  of  the  river  evidently  refers  to  the  river  Nile,  which  is  to  be 
smitten  "in  the  seven  streams,"  and  men  carried  over  it  "dry  shod."  Tsa.  xi. 
15.  The  approach  of  the  Israelites  from  that  part  of  the  world  will  be  across 
the  river  Nile,  then  along  the  coast  to  the  "stream  of  Egypt,"  which  is  a  little 
river  on  the  south-west  corner  of  Palestine.  The  Israelites  are  to  approach 
Palestine  from  that  part  of  the  world,  as  Isaiah  says,  (xi.  14,)  by  the  way  of 
the  Philistines  toward  the  west.  The  map  of  Palestine  will  explain  this  in  a 
moment. 

f  Against  those  who  are  assembled  at  Jerusalem  before  the  general  gather- 
ing of  the  Jews. 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  355 

woven  with  what  is  undeniably  literal,  that  nothing  but  un- 
justifiable violence  can  wrest  them  from  their  appropriate 
literal  application  and  make  them  figurative. 

In  Isa.  Ixv.,  we  have  also  promises  to  the  Jewish  elect  which 
must  yet  be  fulfilled  by  their  being  gathered  unto  the  Lord 
in  their  own  land.  Yerse  8  :  "  Tims  saith  the  Lord,  As  the 
new  wine  is  found  in  the  cluster,  and  one  saith,  Destroy  it 
not,  for  a  blessing  is  in  it ;  so  will  I  do  for  my  servants'  sake, 
that  I  may  not  destroy  them  all.  9.  And  I  will  bring  forth 
a  seed  out  of  Jacob,  and  out  of  Judah  an  inheritor  of  my 
mountains  ;  and  mine  ELECT  shall  inherit  it,  and  my  servants 
shall  dwell  there.  10.  And  Sharon  shall  be  a  fold  for  flocks, 
and  the  valley  of  Achor  a  place  for  the  herds  to  lie  down  in, 
for  my  people  that  have  sought  me."  Then  follows  (verse  11,) 
a  rebuke  for  their  wickedness ;  (12,)  the  destructive  judg- 
ments that  their  sins  had  provoked ;  (13-15,)  the  results  of 
obedience  and  disobedience ;  (IT,)  the  new  heavens  and  earth  : 
"  For  behold,  I  create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth ;  and  the 
former  shall  not  be  remembered,  nor  come  to  mind.  18.  But 
be  ye  glad  and  rejoice  forever  in  that  which  I  create ;  for  be- 
hold, I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing,  and  her  people  a  joy. 
19.  And  I  will  rejoice  in  Jerusalem,  and  joy  in  my  people ; 
and  the  voice  of  weeping  shall  be  no  more  beard  in  her,  nor 
the  voice  of  crying.  20.  There  shall  be  no  more  thence 
an  infant  of  days,  nor  an  old  man  that  hath  not  filled  his 
days  :  for  the  child  shall  die  an  hundred  years  old  ;  but  the 
sinner  an  hundred  years  old  shall  be  accursed.  21.  And  they 
shall  build  houses  and  inhabit  them ;  and  they  shall  plant 
vineyards,  and  eat  the  fruit  of  them.  22.  They  shall  not 
build,  and  another  inhabit ;  they  shall  not  plant,  and  another 
eat ;  for  as  the  days  of  a  tree  are  the  days  of  my  people,  and 
mine  elect  shall  long  enjoy  the  work  of  their  hands.  23.  They 
shall  not  labor  in  vain,  nor  bring  forth  for  trouble ;  for  they 
are  the  seed  of  the  blessed  of  the  Lord,  and  their  offspring 
with  them.  24.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  before  they 
call,  I  will  answer ;  and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will 
hear.  25.  The  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall  feed  together,  and  the 
lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  bullock ;  and  dust  shall  be  the 


356  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

serpent's  meat.  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my 
holy  mountain,  saith  the  Lord." 

By  comparing  this  with  the  eleventh  of  Isaiah,  it  will  be 
identified  as  belonging  to  the  same  period,  —  the  time  of  Is- 
rael's restoration. 

In  the  last  chapter  of  Isaiah,  the  creation  of  the  new  heav- 
ens and  new  earth  is  represented  very  plainly  as  belonging  to 
the  period  of  Israel's  sudden  restoration  and  conversion  to  the 
Lord  ;  and  it  is  also  described  in  inseparable  connection  with 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  judgment  at  the  time  that  "all 
nations  "  shall  be  gathered  together  against  Israel,  so  that  "  all 
the  tribes  of  the  earth  "  may  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord's  judg- 
ment-coming, when  he  appears  in  flaming  fire  to  deliver  his 
people,  and  destroy  their  foes.  The  battle  of  Gog  and  Ma- 
gog, as  it  is  described  in  Ezekiel,  and  in  Joel,  will  be  termi- 
nated in  that  manner. 

The  astonishing  suddenness  of  Israel's  conversion  is  stri- 
kingly illustrated  in  verses  7,  8 ;  and  God  claims  to  do  the 
work  himself,  verse  9  ;  verses  10,  11,  12,  and  13,  show  how  it 
is  to  be  applied  to  the  religious  and  national  capital  of  the 
Jews,  for  which  they  had  mourned,  verse  10.  Verse  14  tells 
how  they  would  be  affected  when  they  should  see  it  accom- 
plished :  "  And  when  ye  see  this,  your  heart  shall  rejoice,  and 
your  bones  shall  flourish  like  an  herb  ;  and  the  hand  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  known  toward  his  servants,  and  nis  indignation 
toward  his  enemies."  Then  follows  the  way  in  which  it  shall 
be  done,  clearly  identifying  it  with  the  second  advent  in  glory, 
in  the  sight  of  all  men,  at  the  time  that  all  nations  are  gath- 
ered before  him,  when  Jerusalem  shall  be  finally  delivered, 
and  the  Jews  restored  forever.  And  the  fire  that  consumes 
the  wicked  will  renovate  the  earth  and  heavens.  Verse  15  : 
"  For  behold,  THE  LORD  WILL  COME  WITH  FIRE,  AND  WITH  HIS 

CHARIOTS  LIKE  A  WHIRLWIND,  TO  RENDER  HIS  ANGER  WITH  FURY, 
AND  HIS  REBUKE  WITH  FLAMES  OF  FIRE.  16.  For  ty  fire,  andty 

his  sword,  will  the  Lord  plead  with  all  fiesh  ;  and  the  slain 
of  the  Lord  shall  ~be  many.  17.  They  that  sanctify  them- 
selves, and  purify  themselves  in  the  gardens,  behind  one  in 
the  midst,  [Marg.  one  after  another,]  eating  swine's  flesh,  and 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  357 

the  abomination,  and  the  mouse,  shall  be  consumed  together, 
saith  the  Lord.  18.  For  I  know  their  works  and  their  thoughts  ; 
it  shall  come,  that  I  WILL  GATHER  ALL  NATIONS  AND  TONGUES  ; 

AND   THEY  SHALL  COME  AND  SEE   MY  GLORY.       19.    And  I  will  Set 

a  sign  among  them,  and  I  will  send  those  that  escape  of  them 
unto  the  nations,  to  Tarshish,  Pul,  and  Lud  that  draw  the  bow, 
to  Tubal,  and  Javan,  to  the  isles  afar  off,  that  have  not  heard 
my  fame,  neither  have  seen  my  glory ;  and  they  shall  declare 
my  glory  among  the  Gentiles.  20.  And  they  shall  bring  all 
your  brethren  for  an  offering  unto  the  Lord,  out  of  all  nations, 
upon  horses,  and  in  chariots,  and  in  litters,  and  upon  mules, 
and  upon  swift  beasts,  to  my  holy  mountain  Jerusalem,  saith 
the  Lord,  as  the  children  of  Israel  bring  an  offering  in  a  clean 
vessel  into  the  house  of  the  Lord.  21.  And  I  will  take  of 
them  for  priests  and  Levites,  saith  the  Lord.  22.  For  as  the 
new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  which  I  will  make,  shall  re- 
main before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  so  shall  your  seed  and  your 
name  remain.  23.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  from  one 
new  moon  to  another,  and  from  one  Sabbath  to  another,*  shall 
all  flesh  come  to  worship  before  me,  saith  the  Lord.  24.  And 
they  shall  go  forth,  and  lookf  upon  the  carcasses  of  the  men 
that  have  transgressed  against  me :  for  their  worm  shall  not 
die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched ;  and  they  shall  be  an 
abhorring  unto  all  flesh.";): 

That  Israel  is  still  regarded  by  the  Lord  as  his  chosen  peo- 
ple, and  that,  for  this  reason,  he  will  at  last  gather  them  to- 
gether, appears  most  evidently  from  Ezek.  xxxiv.  1-9,  which 
contains  God's  complaint  against  those  who  have  caused  his 
people  to  err.  Yerse  10,  contains  a  notification  of  what  God 
intends  to  do  for  his  "  flock"  that  had  been  "scattered  upon 
all  the  face  of  the  earth." 

Yerse  11 :  "  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  Behold,  I,  even 
-I,  will  both  search  my  sheep,  and  seek  them  out.  12.  As  a 

*  The  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  are  the  old  heavens  and  the  old  earth 
renewed ;  restored  to  their  original  condition  before  man  had  sinned. 

|  Not  forever,  certainly,  but  at  first ;  immediately  after  the  great  battle, 
when  (verse  16,)  "the  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  many." 

\  See  Note  N,  in  the  Appendix. 


858  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

shepherd  seeketh  out  his  flock  in  the  day  that  he  is  among 
his  sheep  that  are  scattered  ;  so  will  I  seek  out  my  sheep,  and 
will  deliver  them  out  of  all  places  where  they  have  been  scat- 
tered in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day.  13.  And  I  will  bring  them 
out  from  the  people,  and  will  gather  them  from  the  countries, 
and  will  bring  them  to  their  own  land,  and  feed*  them  upon 
the  mountains  of  Israel  ~by  the  rivers,  and  in  all  the  inhabited 
places  of  the  country.  14.  I  will  feed  them  in  a  good  pasture, 
and  upon  the  high  mountains  of  Israel  shall  their  fold  ~be  ; 
there  shall  they  lie  in  a  good  fold,  and  in  a  fat  pasture  shall 
they  feed  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel.  15.  I  will  feed  my 
flock,  and  I  will  cause  them  to  lie  down,  saith  the  Lord  God. 
16.  I  will  seek  that  which  was  lost,  and  bring  again  that 
which  was  driven  away,  and  will  bind  up  that  which  was  bro 
ken,  and  will  strengthen  that  which  was  sick  :  but  I  will  de 
stroy  the  fat  and  the  strong :  I  will  feed  them  with  judgment.'r> 
Terse  22:  "  Therefore  will  I  save  my  flock,  and  they  shall 
no  more  le  a  prey  :  and  I  will  judge  between  cattle  and  cat- 
tle, f  23.  And  I  will  set  up  ONE  SHEPHEKD  over  them,  and  HE 
shall  feed  them,  even  my  servant  DAVID,  £  HE  shall  feed  them, 
and  HE  shall  ~be  their  shepherd.  24.  And  I  the  Lord  will  be 
their  God,  and  my  servant  DAVID,  A  PKINCE  among  them  :  I 
the  Lord  have  spoken  it.  25.  And  I  will  make  with  them  a 
covenant  of  peace,  and  will  cause  the  evil  beasts  to  cease  out 
of  the  land  :  and  they  shall  dwell  safely  in  the  wilderness,  and 
sleep  in  the  woods.§  26.  And  I  will  make  them  and  the  pla- 
ces round  about  my  hill  a  blessing ;  and  will  cause  the  shower 
to  come  down  in  his  season ;  there  shall  be  showers  of  bless- 
ings. 27.  And  the  tree  of  the  field  shall  yield  her  fruit,  and 
the  earth  shall  yield  her  increase,  and  they  shall  be  safe  in 
their  land,  and  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,|  when  I  have 

*  They  are  represented  under  the  similitude  of  a  flock :  hence  the  meaning 
of  feeding  them. 

f  "  As  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats." 

\  This  can  be  no  other  than  Christ. 

§  "  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain." 

U  In  that  day  they  will  say,  "This  is  our  God;  we  have  waited  for  him, 
and  he  will  save  us :  that  is  the  Lord :  [Jehovah]  we  have  waited  for  him ; 
we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation."  Isa.  xxv.  9. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  359 

broken  the  bands  of  their  yoke,  and  delivered  them  out  of  the 
hand  of  those  that  served  themselves  of  them.  28.  A.nd  they 
shall  no  more  be  a  prey  to  the  heathen,  neither  shall  the  beasts 
of  the  land  devour  them ;  but  they  shall  dwell  safely,  and 
none  shall  make  them  afraid.  29.  And  I  will  raise  up  for 
them  a  plant  of  renown,*  and  they  shall  be  no  more  consum- 
ed with  hunger,  neither  bear  the  shame  of  the  heathen  any 
more.  30.  Thus  shall  they  know  that  I  the  Lord  their  God 
am  with  them,  and  that  they,  the  house  of  Israel,  are  my  peo- 
ple^ saith  the  Lord  God.  31.  And  ye  my  flock,  the  flock  of 
my  pasture,  are  men,  and  I  am  your  God,  saith  the  Lord 
God." 

On  this  passage,  the  following  conclusions  must  be  consid- 
ered undeniable  :  1.  That  it  relates  to  literal  Israel.  2.  That 
it  foretells  a  gathering  that  they  have  never  yet  realized.  3. 
That  they  will  then  dwell  in  their  own  country.  4.  That 
Christ  will  then  be  their  Prince  and  Shepherd.  5.  That  they 
will  all  be  truly  converted.  6.  That  their  residence  in  Pales- 
tine will  be  free  from  sorrow,  danger,  disappointment,  or  in- 
terruption. 

The  thirty-sixth  chapter  of  Ezekiel  will  never  cease  to  be 
regarded  as  teaching,  as  plainly  as  language  can  teach  it,  the 
final  restoration  and  conversion  of  the  whole  house  of  Israel 
that  shall  remain  until  u  the  set  time  to  favor  Zion  "  shall  come. 
And  it  all  proceeds  on  the  professed  ground  of  God's  regard 
for  his  own  name,  in  view  of  his  unchangeable  covenant  with 
their  fathers. 

The  chapter  opens  with  an  address  to  the  mountains  of  Is- 
rael, and  continues  to  the  15th  verse.  No  possibility  of  fair 
interpretation  can  ever  mistake  the  intention  of  God  to  define 
"  the  mountains  of  Israel "  literally  ;  and  no  proof  whatever 
can  be  drawn  from  history  to  show  that  the  promised  restora- 
tion of  the  Israelitish  inhabitants  has  yet  been  effected.  In 
the  connections  of  the  passage,  it  must  be  as  impossible  to 

*  See  Isa.  xi.  1. 

f  "  For  Jacob  my  servant's  Bake,  and  Israel  mine  ELECT,  I  have  even  called 
thee  by  thy  name."  Isa.  xlv.  4.  "  Yet  hear  thou,  0  Jacob,  my  servant ;  and 
Israel,  whom  I  have  CHOSEN."  Isa.  xliv.  1. 


360  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

misunderstand  its  literality,  as  to  misunderstand  the  Scriptures 
that  describe  the  exodus  from  Egypt,  or  the  entrance  into 
Canaan.  Such  language  as  this  cannot  reasonably  be  misin- 
terpreted :  Verse  8  :  "  But  ye,  O  mountains  of  Israel,  ye  shall 
shoot  forth  your  branches,  and  yield  your  fruit  to  my  people 
of  Israel  /  for  they  are  at  hand  to  come.  9.  For  behold,  I  am 
for  you,  and  I  will  turn  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  tilled  and 
sown :  10.  And  I  will  multiply  men  upon  you,  ALL  THE  HOUSE 
OF  ISRAEL,  EVEN  ALL  OF  IT  ;  arid  the  cities  shall  be  inhabited, 
and  the  wastes  shall  be  builded.  11.  And  I  will  multiply 
upon  you  man  and  beast ;  and  they  shall  increase  and  bring 
fruit :  and  1  will  settle  you  after  your  old  estates,  and  will  do 
better  unto  you  than  at  your  "beginnings :  and  ye  shall  know 
that  I  am  the  Lord.  12.  Yea,  I  will  cause  men  to  walk  upon 
you,  EVEN  MY  PEOPLE  ISRAEL  ;  and  they  shall  possess  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  be  their  inheritance,  and  thou  shalt  no  more  hence- 
forth "bereave  them  of  men."* 

Verse  16.  "  Moreover  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me, 
saying,  IT.  Son  of  man,  when  the  house  of  Israel  dwelt  in 
their  own  land,  they  denied  it  by  their  own  way  and  by  their 
doings  :  their  way  was  before  me  as  the  uncleanness  of  a  re- 
moved woman.  18.  Wherefore,  I  poured  my  fury  upon  them 
for  the  blood  that  they  had  shed  upon  the  land,  and  for  their 
idols  wherewith  they  had  polluted  it.  And  I  scattered  them 
among  the  heathen,  and  they  were  dispersed  through  the 
countries :  according  to  their  way  and  according  to  their  do- 
ings I  judged  them.  20.  And  when  they  entered  unto  the 
heathen,  whither  they  went,  they  profaned  my  holy  name, 
when  they  said  to  them,  These  are  the  people  of  Jehovah,\ 
and  are  gone  forth  out  of  his  land  !  21.  But  I  had  pity  for 
my  holy  name,\  which  the  house  of  Israel  had  profaned  among 
the  heathen  whither  they  went.  22.  Therefore,  say  unto  the 
house  of  Israel,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God:  I  do  not  this  for 

*  How  strikingly  the  last  seventeen  hundred  years  of  Jewish  history,  and 
Canaan's  desolation,  are  alluded  to  in  this  chapter. 

\  The  heathen  knew  the  God  of  the  Jewish  nation  by  this  name. 
\  See  chap.  xx.  9,  14. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  361 

your  sakes,  0  house  of  Israel,  but  for  mine  holy  name's  sake* 
which  ye  have  profaned  among  the  heathen,  whither  ye  went. 
23.  And  I  will  sanctify  my  great  name,  which  was  profaned 
among  the  heathen,  which  ye  have  profaned  in  the  midst  of 
them  ;  and  the  heathen  shall  know  that  I  am  JEHOVAH,!  saith 
the  Lord  God,  when  I  shall  be  sanctified  in  you  before  their 
eyes4  24.  For§  I  will  take  you  from  among  the  heathen,  and 
GATHER  you  out  of  all  countries,  and  will  bring  you  into  your 
own  land" 

But,  says  an  objector,  we  read  that  they  will  continue  in 
blindness  until  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  is  come.  How  can 
wicked,  spiritually  blind,  hard  hearted  Jews  dwell  in  the  re- 
newed inheritance  ?  Let  God  explain  this  matter. 

Yerse  25  :  "  THEN  |  will  1  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  clean  :  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all 
your  idols,  will  I  cleanse  you.  26.  A  new  heart  also  will  I 
give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you  ;  and  I  will 
take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give 
you  a  heart  of  flesh.  27.  And  I  will  put  my  spirit  within 
you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep 
my  judgments,  and  do  them.  28.  AND  YE  SHALL  DWELL  IN 
THE  LAND  THAT  I  GAVE  TO  YOiTR  FATHERS  ;  and  ye  shall  be  my 
people,  and  I  will  be  your  God.  29.  I  will  also  save  you 
from  all  your  uncleannesses  ;  and  I  will  call  for  the  corn,  and 
will  increase  it,  and  lay  no  famine  upon  you.  30.  And  I  will 
multiply  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  and  the  increase  of  the  field, 
that  ye  shall  receive  no  more  reproach  of  famine  among  the 
heathen.  31.  Then  shall  ye  remember  your  own  evil  ways, 
and  your  doings  that  were  not  good,  and  shall  loathe  your- 
selves in  your  own  sight  for  your  iniquities,  and  for  your 
abominations.  32.  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  be  it  known  unto  you  :  be  ashamed  and  confound- 

*  As  men  would  say,  out  of  respect  for  their  own  reputation  for  veracity. 

\  It  is  altogether  more  expressive  to  retain  the  original  name,  JEHOVAH,  of 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel. 

\  Chap.  xx.  41,  and  xxiii.  22. 

§This  is  the  way  his  veracity  will  be  displayed. 

\  For  then  there  shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away 
ungodliness  from  Jacob. 


362  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

ed  *  for  your  own  ways,  O  house  of  Israel.  33.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God ;  In  the  day  that  I  shall  have  cleansed  you  from  all 
your  iniquities,  I  will  also  cause  you  to  dwell  in  the  cities, 
and  the  wastes  shall  be  builded.  34.  And  the  desolate  land 
shall  be  tilled,  whereas  it  lay  desolate  in  the  sight  of  all  that 
passed  by.f  35.  And  they  shall  say,  This  land  that  was  des- 
olate is  'become  like  the  garden  of  EDEN  !  and  the  waste  and  des- 
olate and  ruined  cities  $  are  become  fenced,  and  are  inhabited. 
36.  Then  the  heathen  that  are  left  round  about  you  §  shall 
know  that  I  JEHOVAH  build  the  ruined  places,  and  plant  that 
that  was  desolate  :  I  JEHOVAH  have  spoken  it,  and  I  will  do 
it.  37.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  :  I  will  yet  be  inquired  of 
by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them  :  I  will  increase  them 
with  men  like  a  flock.  38.  As  the  holy  flock,  as  the  flock  of 
Jerusalem  in  her  solemn  feasts  ;  so  shall  the  waste  cities  be 
filled  with  flocks  of  men ;  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am 
JEHOVAH." 

*  See  Zech.  xii. 

f  How  distinctly  the  prophecy  describes  the  history  of  Palestine  for  the  last 
thousand  years  and  more  ! 

\  The  ruins  of  cities  overspread  almost  every  portion  of  Palestine. 
§  See  Note  N,  in  the  Appendix. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  363 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

Principal  subject  —  GATHERING  THE  ELECT. 

Applied  to  the  Restoration  of  the  Jews  —  Reasons  for  continuing  the  Subject— 
Ezekiel's  Vision  of  the  Dry  Bones  —  Design,  and  Substance  of  the  Vision  — 
God's  own  Interpretation  —  Figurative  Language  not  used  to  interpret 
Figurative — Final  Union,  Gathering,  and  Blessedness  of  Israel — A  King- 
dom under  the  reign  of  Messiah  —  The  Battle  of  Gog  and  Magog  —  Referred 
to  in  other  parts  of  the  Bible  —  Interpretation  —  Prophecy  of  Zechariah  — 
The  Great  Battle— The  Lord  Revealed— The  Victory— Prophecy  of 
Amos — The  Tabernacle  of  David  raised  up  —  Happy  Condition  of  the 
People — Prophecy  of  Moses — The  History  and  Prophecy  blended — True 
conversion,  and  real  Restoration  —  St.  Paul's  Reasoning' — Synopsis  of  the 
Argument  —  Twenty -nine  Particulars  in  the  Argument  —  The  Conclusion  — 
Angelic  Agency  in  Gathering  the  Elect  —  Examples  —  How  the  present 
Dispensation  will  be  terminated. 

Verse  31.   AND  [THEN]  SHALL  HE  SEND  HIS  ANGELS  WITH  A  GREAT    SOUND  OF  A 

TRUMPET,  AND  THEY  SHALL  GATHER  TOGETHER  HIS  ELECT  FROM  THE  FOUR  WINDS,  FROM 
ONE  END  OF  HEAVEN  TO  THE  OTHER. 

THE  only  apology — if  any  be  needed  —  for  extending  this 
subject,  in  its  application  to  the  Jews,  is  (1.)  The  very  great 
importance  of  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  divine  will  in 
respect  to  this  matter;  and  (2.)  Because  the  subject  has  not 
generally  been  investigated  by  either  the  common  reader  of 
the  Bible,  or  by  the  ministers  of  the  gospel. 

The  writer  has  conversed  with  a  great  many  both  of  the 
membership  and  the  ministry,  who  seemed,  in  too  many 
instances,  neither  to  know  nor  to  care  what  the  Scriptures 
teach  in  respect  to  the  matter  in  question.  And,  even  with 
many  who  are  somewhat  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
the  subject,  there  have  been  manifested  so  much  indefinite- 
ness  and  indecision,  and  so  little  personal  acquaintance  with 
the  Scripture  doctrine,  that  the  writer  has  been  for  several 
years  painfully  impressed,  that  the  divine  will  in  respect  to 
the  final  destiny  of  the  Jewish  race  has  not  received  that 
prayerful  attention  by  the  churches,  that  has  been  directed  to 


HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

other  subjects  of  no  greater,  and  probably  of  less,  importance. 
Yet  it  requires  but  a  moment's  meditation  to  perceive  that 
the  final  restoration  of  the  Lord's  ancient  people,  both  to  him- 
self and  their  fatherland,  must  be  regarded  as  the  great  event 
.of  the  closing  dispensation. 

The  vision  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dry  bones  is  directly 
connected  with  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel,  which  was  under 
discussion  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter.  The  reader 
is  requested  to  keep  open  before  him  the  thirty-seventh  chap- 
ter of  Ezekiel,  that  he  may  clearly  perceive  its  connections 
with  the  preceding  and  subsequent  portions  of  the  prophecy. 
The  design  of  the  vision  was  evidently  to  illustrate  and  con- 
firm what  God  had  just  declared  concerning  the  conversion 
and  final  gathering  of  the  children  of  Israel  and  Judah. 
From  verse  1  to  10,  inclusive,  we  have  the  vision,  which  the 
reader  will  perceive  has  a  direct  connection  with  the  preceding 
chapter.  Yerses  11-14  contain  Gotfs  own  application  and 
interpretation  of  the  vision.  LET  THIS  BE  DISTINCTLY  CONSID- 
ERED ;  together  with  the  fact,  that  the  Lord  does  not  give  one 
vision  or  parable  to  explain  another.  There  are  many  instan- 
ces of  the  Lord's  explaining  his  own  figurative  language,  and 
the  visions  of  his  prophets.  But  the  writer  has  not  in  recol- 
lection an  instance  where  one  parable,  metaphor,  or  vision 
was  given  to  interpret  another.  In  all  cases  where  the  inter- 
pretation and  application  of  figurative  language  and  visions 
have  been  examined,  not  figurative,  but  simple,  literal  lan- 
guage has  been  employed. 

The  use  of  figurative  language  to  explain  figurative,  would 
be  a  manifest  impropriety ;  for,  in  that  case,  the  interpreta- 
tion itself  would  need  to  be  interpreted.  In  other  words,  it 
would  be  no  interpretation  at  all. 

Now,  God's  own  interpretation  of  the  vision  of  dry  bones 
is  this :  Yerse  11 :  "  Then  said  he  unto  me,  Son  of  man, 
these  hones  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel.  Behold,  they  say, 
Our  bones  are  dried,  and  our  hope  is  lost ;  we  are  cut  off  for 
our  parts.*  12.  Therefore  prophecy  and  say  unto  them, 

*Does  not  this  mean,  "We  are  cut  off  from  our  parts?  i.  e.  "we  are  cut  off 
from  enjoying  our  parts  of  the  everlasting  possession  promised  to  our  fathers: 
Our  hope  is  lost. 


HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 


365 


Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  :  O  my  people,  I  will  open  your 
graves,  and  cause  you  to  come  up  out  of  your  graves,  and 
bring  you  into  the  land  of  Israel.*  13.  And  ye  shall  know 
that  I  am  Jehovah,  when  I  have  opened  your  graves,  O  my 
people,  and  brought  you  up  out  of  your  graves.  14.  And 
shall  put  my  Spirit  in  you,  and  ye  shall  live,  and  I  shall  place 
you  in  your  own  land  :  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  the  LOKD 
have  spoken  it,  and  performed  it,  saith  the  LORD."  Then  fol- 
lows (verses  15-19)  a  representation  of  the  final  gathering  and 
complete  union  of  all  the  children  of  Israel,  under  the  simili- 
tude of  uniting  two  sticks  [rods  or  sceptres]  into  one.  Yerses 
16,  19,  sufficiently  prove  the  universality  of  its  application  to 
the  literal  posterity  of  Israel.  With  verse  20  begins  the 
statement  of  God's  own  explanation  and  purpose  in  the  mat- 
ter :  Yerse  20  :  "  And  the  sticks  whereon  thou  writest  (verse 
16)  shall  be  in  thine  hand  before  thine  eyes.  21.  And  say 
unto  them,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  Behold,  I  will  take  the 
children  of  Israel  from  among  the  heathen,  whither  they  1)6 
gone,  and  will  GATHER  THEM  ON  EVERY  SIDE,  AND  BRING  THEM 
INTO  THEIR  OWN  LAND.  22.  And  I  will  make  them  ONE  NATION  IN 

THE  LAND  UPON  THE  MOUNTAINS  OF  ISRAEL  ;    and  ONE  KING  SHALL 

BE  KING  TO  THEM  ALL  :  and  they  shall  le  no  more  two  nations, 
neither  shall  they  be  divided  into  two  kingdoms  any  more  at 
all.  23.  Neither  shall  they  defile  themselves  any  more  with 
their  idols,  nor  with  their  detestable  things,  nor  with  any  of 
their  transgressions :  but  I  will  save  them  out  of  all  their 
dwelling  places,  wherein  they  have  sinned,  and  will  cleanse 
them  :  so  shall  they  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God. 
24.  And  DAVID  my  servant  shall  be  KING  over  them  ;  and 
they  all  shall  have  ONE  SHEPHERD  :  they  shall  also  walk  in  my 
judgments,  and  observe  my  statutes ;  and  do  them.  25.  And 
they  shall  dwell  in  the  land  that  I  have  given  unto  Jacob  my 
servant,  wherein  your  fathers  have  dwelt,  and  they  shall  dwell 
therein,  even  they,  and  their  children,  and  their  children's 
children  forever :  and  my  servant  DAVID  shall  be  their  FRINGE 
FOREVER. f  26.  Moreover  I  will  make  a  COVENANT  OF  PEACE 

*See  Isa.  xxvi.  19;  Hos.  xiii.  14. 

f  It  does  seem  inexcusable  for  any  intelligent  person  to  pretend  that  this 
passage,  in  its  connections,  is  of  doubtful  application.     How  could  the  Lord 


866  HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION. 

with  them;  it  shall  be  an  EVERLASTING  COVENANT  with  them' 
and  Iwitt  PLACE  them,  and  MULTIPLY  them,  and  will  set  my 
sanctuary  in  the  midst  of  them  forever  more.  27.  My  taber- 
nacle also  shall  be  with  them ;  *  yea,  I  will  be  their  God,  and 
they  shall  be  my  people.  28.  And  the  heathen  shall  know 
that  I  the  LORD  do  sanctify  Israel,  when  my  sanctuary  shall 
be  in  the  midst  of  them  for  evermore." 

In  chapters  xxxviii.  and  xxxix.  we  have  the  prophecy  of  the 
great  battle  of  Gog  and  Magog  with  the  restored  Israelites, 
just  as  we  find  it  stated  in  Zech.  and  Joel,  and  as  we  find  it 
predicted  in  Rev.  twice ;  once  as  a  literal  occurrence,  at  the 
closing  up  of  the  present  dispensation,  and  once  as  a  symboli- 
cal illustration  to  ^present  the  conflict  and  destruction  at  the 
closing  up  of  the  millenium.  There  can  be  no  difficulty  in 
discovering  the  identity  of  the  event  described  in  Ezek.  xxxix. 
17-22,  and  in  Rev.  xix.  11-21.  And  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
restoration  of  Israel,  the  destruction  of  their  enemies,  the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb,  (Rev.  xix.  7-9,)  are  all  to  transpire  in 
connection  with  the  judgment  coming  of  the  Lord,  and  at 
the  closing  up  of  the  ante-millenial  dispensation. 

Now,  it  is  freely  admitted  that  in  these  various  represen- 
tations of  the  events  of  the  same  period,  there  are  some  things 
which  are  less  easily  understood  than  some  other  things 
which  are  related  in  the  same  connection.  This  arises  princi- 
pally from  the  fact,  that  God  did  not  move  any  one  of  the 
prophets  to  predict  all  the  circumstances  of  the  Lord's  second 
advent.  And  there  is  undeniably  a  degree  of  difficulty  in  all 
our  attempts  to  analyze  and  arrange  chronologically  all  the 
events  which  are  related  by  the  different  prophets,  as  forming 
distinctive  portions  of  that  wonderful  display  of  events  which 
will  introduce  the  millenial  dispensation.  But,  previously  to 
the  first  coming  of  our  Lord,  there  was  the  same  difficulty  in 
the  analysis  and  application  of  the  many  particulars  which 
were  predicted  in  connection  with  the  foretelling  of  his  advent. 
And  the  same  thing  is  true  with  respect  to  many  other 

describe  such  an  event,  supposing  that  he  desired  to  do  so,  if  he  has  not  done 
it  in  this  chapter,  and  its  associated  passages? 
*  See  Note  O,  in  the  Appendix. 


HAEMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  367 

prophecies,  which,  after  their  fulfillment,  were  sufficiently 
plain  to  be  understood  by  all. 

It  is  obviously  our  duty,  in  reference  to  such  prophecies,  to 
interpret  what  is  less  plain  by  what  is  more  plain  ;  and  never 
to  permit  what  we  do  know  to  be  set  aside  by  what  we  do  not 
know.  Who,  for  instance,  can  fail  to  understand  such  a  pre- 
diction as  this,  which  closes  up  the  prophecy  of  Gog  and  Ma- 
gog ?  Ezek.  xxxix.  22  :  "  So  the  house  of  Israel  shall  know 
that  I  am  Jehovah  their  God  from  that  day  and  forward. 
23.  And  the  heathen  shall  know  that  the  house  of  Israel  went 
into  captivity  for  their  iniquity;  because  they  trespassed 
against  me,  therefore  hid  I  my  face  from  them,  and  gave 
them  into  the  hand  of  their  enemies  ;  so  fell  they  all  by  the 
sword.  24.  According  to  their  uncleanness,  and  according  to 
their  transgressions  have  I  done  unto  them,  and  hid  my  face 
from  them.  25.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  God ;  Now 
will  I  bring  again  the  captivity  of  Jacob,  and  have  mercy 
upon  the  whole  house  of  Israel,  and  will  ~be  jealous  for  my 
holy  name*  26.  After  that  they  have  borne  their  shame, 
and  all  their  trespasses  wherewith  they  have  trespassed  against 
me,  when  they  dwelt  safely  in  their  own  land,  and  none  made 
them  afraid.  27.  When  I  have  brought  them  again  from 
the  people,  and  gathered  them  out  of  their  enemies'  land,  and 
am  sanctified  in  them"\  in  the  sight  of  many  nations.  28. 
Then  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah  their  God,  which 
caused  them  to  be  led  into  captivity  among  the  heathen  ;  but 
I  have  gathered  them  unto  their  own  land,  and  have  left  none 
of  them  any  more  there.  [Among  the  heathen.]  29.  Neither 
will  I  hide  my  face  any  more  from  them  ;  for  I  have  poured 
out  my  Spirit  upon  the  house  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  God." 

And  who  can  misunderstand  such  a  prediction  as  this,  which 
the  connections  show  is  yet  to  be  fulfilled  ?  Zech.  vii.  12 : 

*  By  referring  to  the  many  places  where  the  expression  is  used,  it  will  be 
Been  that  God  regards  himself  as  being  distinctly  pledged  to  do  this  for  Israel ; 
and  that  he  will  yet  justify  himself  in  this  matter  before  the  whole  world. 

•j-  In  their  dispersion  and  wickedness,  God  regarded  himself  as  suffering 
reproach,  as  one  that  had  promised  without  fulfilling  ;  and  in  their  final  res- 
toration and  happiness,  he  will  be  sanctified  in  them ;  his  character  as  a  cove- 
nant keeping  God  will  be  cleared  from  all  imputations. 


368  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

(Referring  to  the  wickedness  of  Israel,)  "Yea,  they  made 
their  heart  as  an  adamant  stone,  lest  they  should  hear  the 
law,  and  the  words  which  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent  in  his 
Spirit  by  the  former  prophets  :*  therefore  came  a  great  wrath 
from  the  Lord  of  hosts.  13.  Therefore  it  is  come  to  pass,  that 
as  he  cried,  and  they  would  not  hear ;  so  they  cried,  and  I 
would  not  hear,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  :  14.  But  I  scattered 
them  with  a  whirlwind  among  all  nations  whom  they  knew 
not.  Thus  the  land  was  desolate  after  them,  that  no  man 
passed  through  nor  returned  ;  for  they  laid  the  pleasant  land 
desolate.  Chapter  viii.  1 :  Again  the  word  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts  came  unto  me,  saying,  2.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts ; 
I  was  jealous  for  Zion  with  great  jealousy,  and  I  was  jealous 
for  her  with  great  fury.  3.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  :  I  am  re- 
turned unto  Zion,f  and  will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem  ; 
and  Jerusalem  shall  be  called,  A  city  of  truth ;  and  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  The  holy  mountain.  4.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts ;  There  shall  yet  old  men  and  old  women 
dwell  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  every  man  with  his 
staff  in  his  hand  for  every  age,  [for  multitude  of  days.fl  5. 
And  the  streets  of  the  city  shall  be  full  of  boys  and  girls 
playing  in  the  streets  thereof.  6.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts :  If  it  be  marvelous  in  the  eyes  of  the  remnant  of  this  peo- 
ple in  these  days,  should  it  also  be  marvelous  in  mine  eyes, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  ?  7.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts ; 
Behold,  I  will  save  my  people  from  the  east  country,  and  from 
the  west  country  ;  8.  And  I  will  bring  them,  and  they  shall 
dwell  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  they  shall  be  my  peo- 
ple, and  I  will  be  their  God,  in  truth  and  in  righteousness." 
Verse  11 :  (After  describing  in  verses  9  and  10  their  days  of 
affliction,)  "  But  now  I  will  not  be  unto  the  residue  §  of  this 

*  "  The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  Spirit  of  prophecy,"  Rev.  xix.  10.  See 
also,  John  v.  39.  It  was  these  portions  of  the  prophecies  against  "which  the 
Jews  opposed  themselves ;  and  for  which  wrath  came  upon  them  so  terribly. 

f  Speaking  —  as  was  not  unusual  —  of  things  future  as  if  they  were  present. 
[  \  Isa.  Ixv.  20,  and  the  connections. 

§  It  is  remarkable  how  frequently  these  latter  day  blessings  are  described 
as  being  given  to  the  residue,  the  remnant,  those  that  be  left,  those  that  remain^ 
of  Israel. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  369 

» 

people  as  in  the  former  days,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  12. 
For  the  seed  shall  be  prosperous ;  the  vine  shall  give  her  fruit, 
and  the  ground  shall  give  her  increase,  and  the  heavens  shall 
give  their  dew ;  and  I  will  cause  the  remnant  of  this  people 
to  possess  all  these  things."  Let  the  reader  examine  the  re- 
maining portions  of  the  chapter. 

Read  also  chapters  ix.  and  x.  In  the  great  battle  which  is 
so  frequently  referred  to  elsewhere,  as  occurring  in  connection 
with  their  final  gathering  to  the  Lord  and  their  fatherland, 
the  Israelites  shall  be  aided  by  the  visible  presence  of  the 
Lord.  Ch.  ix.  14  :  "  AND  THE  LORD  SHALL  BE  SEEN  OVER  THEM, 
and  his  arrows  shall  go  forth  as  the  lightning,  AND  THE  LORD 
GOD  SHALL  BLOW  THE  TRUMPET,  and  shall  go  with  the  whirl- 
winds of  the  south."  Verse  16.  "  And  the  Lord  God  shall 
gave  them  in  that  day,  as  the  flock  of  his  people."  Chap.  x. 
5  :  "  And  they  shall  be  as  mighty  men,  which  tread  down  their 
enem:es  in  the  mire  of  the  streets  in  battle ;  and  they  shall 
fight  because  the  LORD  is  WITH  THEM,  and  the  riders  on  horses 
shall  be  confounded.  6.  And  I  will  strengthen  the  house  of 
Judah,  and  I  will  save  the  house  of  Joseph,  and  will  bring 
them  again  to  place  them  ;  for  I  have  mercy  upon  them :  and 
they  shall  be  as  though  I  had  not  cast  them  off;  for  I  am  the 
Lord  their  God,  and  will  hear  them.  8.  I  will  hiss  for  them, 
and  gather  them ;  for  I  have  redeemed  them  ;  and  they  shall 
increase  as  they  have  increased.  9.  And  I  will  sow*  them 
among  the  people ;  and  they  shall  remember  me  in  far  coun- 
tries ;  and  they  shall  live  with  their  children,  and  turn  again. 
10.  I  will  bring  them  also  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  gather 
them  out  of  Asyria ;  and  I  will  bring  them  again  into  the 
land  of  Gilead,  and  Lebanon  ;  and  place  shall  not  be  found 
for  them.  11.  And  he  shall  pass  through  the  sea  with  afnic- 
tions,f  and  [the  Lord]  shall  smite  the  waves  in  the  sea,  and 
all  the  deeps  of  the  river  shall  dry  up ;  and  the  pride  of  As- 
syria shall  be  brought  down,  and  the  sceptre  of  Egypt  shall 

*  How  fearfully,  and  yet  beautifully,  this  expresses  their  present  dispersion. 

\  This  is  an  imperfect  translation  :  the  Septuagint  and  the  Vulgate  give  the 
true  sense  ;  "  And  he  [Israel]  shall  pass  through  the  straits  of  the  sea"     The 
passage  is  parallel  with  Isa.  xi.  15,  which  see. 
24: 


370  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

depart  away.  12.  And  I  will  strengthen  them  in  the  Lord ; 
and  they  shall  walk  up  and  down  in  his  name,  saith  the  Lord." 
Chapters  xii.,  xiii.,  and  xiv.  clearly  relate  to  this  final  gather- 
ing and  establishing  of  God's  Israelitish  elect ;  and  also  fully 
identify  the  time  of  its  accomplishment  with  the  end  of  the 
present  dispensation,  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  (chap.  xiv.  1,  3, 
4,  5,)  and  the  everlasting  happiness  of  those  who  are  saved. 

In  Amos  ix.  8,  we  find  the  same  predictions  :  "  Behold,  the 
eyes  of  the  Lord  God  are  upon  the  sinful  kingdom  ;  and  I 
will  destroy  it  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  saving  that  I 
will  not  utterly  destroy  the  house  of  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord. 
9.  For  lo,  I  will  command,  and  I  will  sift  the  house  of  Israel 
among  all  nations,  like  as  corn  is  sifted  in  a  sieve,  yet  shall 
not  the  least  grain  fall  upon  the  earth.  10.  All  the  sinners 
of  my  people  shall  die  by  the  sword,  which  say,  The  evil 
shall  not  overtake  us  nor  prevent  us.  11.  In  that  day  will  I 
raise  up  the  tabernacle  of  David  which  is  fallen  down,  and 
close  up  the  breaches  thereof;  and  I  will  raise  up  his  ruins, 
and  I  will  build  it  as  in  the  days  of  old  ;  12.  That  they  may 
possess  the  remnant  of  Edom,*  and  of  all  the  heathen  which 
are  called  by  my  name,  [upon  whom  my  name  is  called,] 
saith  the  Lord  that  doeth  this.  13.  Behold,  the  days  come, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  the  plowman  shall  overtake  the  reaper, 
and  the  treader  of  grapes  him  that  soweth  seed ;  [draweth 
forth  ;]  and  the  mountains  shall  drop  sweet  wine,  and  all  the 
hills  shall  melt.f  14.  And  I  will  bring  again  the  captivity  of 
my  people  Israel,  and  they  shall  build  the  waste  cities,  and 
inhabit  them ;  and  they  shall  plant  vineyards,  and  drink  the 
wine  thereof;  they  also  make  gardens,  and  eat  the  fruit  of 
them.  15.  And  I  will  plant  them  upon  their  land,  and  they 
shall  no  more  be  pulled  up  out  of  their  land  which  I  have  giv- 
en them,  saith  the  Lord  thy  God.":f 

*  See  Isa.  ad.  U. 

f  See  Joel  iii.  18,  and  other  parallel  places.  The  renovated  earth  and  heav- 
ens shall  then  exhibit  the  perennial  bloom  and  increasing  fruitfulness  of  Eden. 
See  Isa.  li.  3,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  35,  and  other  places. 

\  "What  language  can  be  more  unequivocal  in  its  identifying  of  both  the  peo- 
ple and  their  destiny  ? 


HABMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  371 

It  cannot  be  necessary  to  repeat,  or  to  refer  to  all  the  pas- 
sages which  most  evidently  belong  to  the  same  people,  and 
refer  to  the  same  destiny.  The  explicit  testimony  of  Moses 
and  of  Paul,  however,  is  too  important  to  be  omitted.  If 
there  was  nothing  more  said  in  the  Bible  than  was  written  by 
the  chief  prophet  of  the  former  dispensation,  and  the  chief 
apostle  of  the  present,  it  would  be  sufficient  to  establish  the 
doctrine  of  the  final  gathering  of  God's  ancient  elect,  in  con- 
nection with  the  final  gathering  of  those  of  more  recent  se- 
lection. 

Deut.  xxviii.  contains  a  wonderfully  particular  prediction 
of  the  dispersion  and  sufferings  of  the  descendants  of  Israel. 
There  can  be  no  possibility  of  misunderstanding  either  its  ap- 
plication or  its  sentiment.  It  has  been  for  many  ages  an  im- 
movable bulwark  against  the  attacks  of  infidelity.  But  the 
thirtieth  chapter  is  equally  definite  in  its  teaching,  and  as  ob- 
vious in  its  application.  It  can  refer  to  no  other  people ;  and 
cannot,  without  inexcusable  violence,  be  understood  otherwise 
than  literally.  Yerse  1 :  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when 
all  these  things  are  come  upon  thee,  the  blessing  and  the 
curse,  which  I  have  set  before  thee ;  and  thou  shalt  call  them 
to  mind  among  all  the  nations  whither  the  Lord  thy  God  hath 
driven  thee.  2.  And  shalt  return  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
shalt  obey  his  voice  according  to  all  that  I  command  thee  this 
day ;  thou  and  thy  children,  with  all  thine  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  soul ;  3.  That  then  the  Lord  thy  God  will  turn  thy  cap- 
tivity, and  have  compassion  upon  thee,  and  will  return  and 
gather  thee  from  all  the  nations  whither  the  Lord  thy  God 
hath  scattered  thee.  4.  If*  any  of  thine  be  driven  to  the 
outmost  parts  of  heaven,  from  thence  will  the  Lord  thy  God 
gather  thee,  and  from  thence  will  he  fetch  thee.  5.  And  the 

*  "  But  there  is  an  if  in  the  matter."  There  is  indeed.  But  do  you  not 
observe  that  the  if  has  reference  to  the  dispersion,  not  to  the  gathering.  In 
verse  10,  however,  there  is  an  if  in  connection  with  the  subject  of  their  final 
obedience ;  and  in  verse  17,  there  is  an  if  in  connection  with  the  reference  to 
their  apostacy.  If  the  if  in  verse  10  renders  that  part  uncertain,  why  should 
not  the  if  in  verse  17  render  that  also  doubtful  ?  The  truth  is,  the  if  is  used 
more  to  intensify  a  previous  statement,  than  for  any  other  reason;  just  as  in 
John  xiv.  3 :  "  If  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,"  <kc. 


372  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

Lord  thy  God  will  bring  thee  into  the  land  which  thy  fathers 
possessed,  and  thou  shalt  possess  it :  and  he  will  do  thee  good, 
and  multiply  thee  above  thy  fathers.  6.  And  the  Lord  thy  God 
will  circumcise  thine  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
that  thou  mayest  live.  8.  And  thou  shalt  return  and  obey 
the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  do  all  his  commandments  which  I 
command  thee  this  day." 

Here  the  same  Inspiration  that  predicted  the  dispersion  of 
the  chosen  people  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  has  just 
as  clearly,  and  just  as  repeatedly,  predicted  their  final  gather- 
ing from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other.  It  is  difficult  to 
perceive  how  any  intelligent  mind  can  be  satisfied  with  any- 
thing less  than  a  full,  literal  application  of  the  part  relating 
to  the  gathering,  since  it  is  undeniable  that  there  has  been  a 
full  and  literal  fulfillment  of  the  part  relating  to  the  dispersion. 
And,  if  possible,  it  is  still  more  wonderful  how  any  pious 
mind  can  be  indifferent  to  the  teachings  of  Inspiration  in  re- 
spect to  this  glorious  gathering.  St.  Paul,  in  Romans  xi.,  has 
placed  this  matter  beyond  a  rational  doubt.  It  will  not  be 
necessary  to  quote  all  that  he  has  said :  it  will  be  expedient 
only  to  give  a  synopsis  of  his  argument.  And  it  will  be  per- 
ceived that  his  reasoning  is  systematical,  logical,  and  con- 
clusive. 

If  the  reader  will  keep  the  chapter  open  before  him,  as  he 
peruses  this  review  of  Paul's  argument,  he  will  do  himself  a 
favor. 

1.  The  proposition  to  be  considered.     Yerse  1 :  "I  say,  then, 
Hath  God  cast  away  his  people  ?  * 

2.  The  position  of  the  apostle.     Yerse  2  :  "  God  hath  not  cast 
away  his  people  which  he  foreknew."f 

*  The  people  are  identified  in  chap,  x.,  19-21 ;  chap,   xi.,  1,  2,  7,  25,  28,  <fec. 

•j-  The  nature  of  the  case,  and  the  whole  structure  of  the  argument,  prove, 
that  the  question  was  not  whether  all  the  individuals  of  that  people  were  cast 
away :  no  one  ever  entertained  such  an  idea.  Nor  was  it  whether  God  had 
cast  away  those  that  he  "foreknew  "  would  be  converted :  that  was  never  a 
matter  of  dispute.  The  point  was  this:  Hath  God  cast  away  Israel  as  a  peo- 
ple, so  that,  as  a  people,  they  shall  not  be  restored ;  this  was,  and  is,  a  matter 
of  dispute. 


HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION.  373 

3.  Statement  of  the  case.    Terse  5  :  "  There  is  a  remnant " 
preserved,  as  at  a  former  time. 

4.  Reason  for  the  preservation  of  the  remnant.     Yerse  5  : 
"  According  to  the  election"     By  divine  choice  and  purpose. 

5.  Ground  of  the  election.     Yerse  5  :  "  Grace." 

6.  Character  of  the  electing  grace.    Yerse  6 :  "  And  if  by 
grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works :  otherwise  grace  is  no  more 
grace.     But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace :  other- 
wise work  is  no  more  work."    That  is,  the  election  does  not  in 
any  degree  depend  upon  any  works  on  the  part  of  the  rem- 
nant chosen  and  preserved.     It  is  purely  a  matter  of  divine 
purpose  ;  just  as  God,  when  speaking  of  the  final  gathering 
of  Israel,  often  took  occasion  to  remind  them  of  the  ground 
on  which  he  would  proceed  in  the  matter."  * 

7.  Present  result  of  the  election.     Yerse  7 :  "  What  then  ? 
Israel  [in  general]  hath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh 
for :  but  the  election  [remnant  elected]  hath  obtained  it ;  and 
the  rest  [Israel  in  general]  were  blinded."    Just  as  had  been 
predicted. 

8.  Subject  of  delate  resumed.    Yerse  11 :  "  Have  they  [Is- 
rael in  general]  stumbled  that  they  should  fall  ?  "f 

9.  The  apostle ]s  position  reassumed.     Yerse  11 :  "  God  for- 
bid."   By  no  means.    They  have  not  fallen  so  as  to  be  cast 
away. 

10.  Why  their  temporary  fall  was  permitted.    Yerse  11: 
"  Through  their  fall  salvation  is  come  unto  the  Gentiles." 

11.  A.  presumptive  proof  that  they  shall  le  restored.     It 
would  be  a  great  blessing  to  the  world.     Yerse  12 :  "  Now 
if  the  fall  of  them  be  the  riches  of  the  world,  and  the  dimin- 
ishing of  them  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles :    HOW  MUCH  MORE 

*  "  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  saith  the  Lord  God,  be  it  known  unto  you : 
be  ashamed  and  confounded  for  your  own  ways,  O  house  of  Israel."  Ezk. 
xxxvi.  32.  "I  do  not  this  for  your  sakes,  O  house  of  Israel;  but  for  my  holy 
name's  sake."  Ezk.  xxxvi.  22.  See  also  many  other  instances  quoted  in  a 
previous  chapter. 

f  The  whole  course  of  the  argument  shows  that  it  was  a  final,  irrecoverable 
fall  that  the  apostle  was  considering ;  not  the  temporary  fall,  for  that  was  not 
called  in  question  :  that  was  distinctly  asserted. 


374:  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

THEIR  FULLNESS  !  "    Yerse  15  i  "  For  if  the  [temporary*]  cast- 
ing away  of  them\  be  the  reconciling  of  the  world,  WHAT  SHALL 

THE   RECEIVING    OF  THEM  BE  BUT  LIFE  FROM  THE  DEAD  ?  "      It  will 

be  like  a  resurrection  of  a  dead  world. 

12.  Another  presumptive  proof,  founded  on  their  relation  to 
their  holy  ancestors."^     Yerse  16.  "  For  if  the  first  fruit  be 
holy,  the  lump  is  also  holy ;  and  if  the  root  be  holy,  so  are  the 
branches." 

13.  An  illustration  of  the  nature  of  the  casting  away  of  Is- 
rael.   It  was  not  Israel,  as  Israel,  but  many  of  the  individu- 
als of  Israel.     Yerse  IT  :    "  Some  of  the  branches  be  broken 
off."    The  tree  was  not  destroyed.     The  "  root"  and  some  of 
the  "  natural  branches"  were  still  preserved. 

14.  Their  rejection  not  final  but  conditional.     Yerse  23 : 
"And  they  also,  if  they  abide  not  still  in  unbelief,  shall  be 
graffed  in"  again. 

15.  Their  restoration  not  impossible.     Yerse  23.    "  God  is 
able  to  graff  them  in  again." 

16.  It  is  more  likely  that  they  shall  be  restored  than  it  was 
that  the  Gentiles  should  be  converted.     Yerse  24  :  "  For  if  thou 
wert  cut  out  of  the  olive  tree  which  is  wild  by  nature,  and 
wert  graffed,  contrary  to  nature,  into  a  good  olive  tree ;   HOW 
MUCH  MORE  shall  these,  which  be  the  natural  branches,  be 
graffed  into  their  own  olive  tree  /" 

IT.  The  blindness  of  Israel,  by  reason  of  which  they  now 
miss  of  salvation,  is  limited  loth  in  extent  and  duration. 
Yerse  25  :  "  Blindness,  in  part,  is  happened  unto  Israel,  until 
the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in." 

*  It  must,  of  course,  be  understood  as  temporary ;  otherwise  the  apostle 
•would  be  made  to  contradict  himself.  See  verses  1,  11. 

f  He  must  be  here  speaking  of  Israel,  as  a  people :  for  in  no  other  sense 
could  the  different  parts  of  the  argument  be  in  harmony. 

\  Wesley's  note,  verse  16  :  "And  this  will  surely  come  to  pass.  For  if  the 
first  fruits  be  holy,  so  is  the  lump.  The  consecration  of  them  was  esteemed 
the  consecration  of  all.  And  so  the  conversion  of  a  few  Jews  is  an  earnest 
of  the  conversion  of  all  the  rest.  And  if  the  root  be  holy  —  the  patriarchs 
from  whom  they  spring,  surely  God  will  at  length  make  their  descendents 
also  holy."  In  a  former  part  of  the  Treatise,  it  has  been  abundantly  shown 
that  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  of  restoration  to  Israel  is  placed  solely  on 
God's  covenant  with  the  patriarchs. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  375 

18.  The  apostle? s  unequivocal  statement,  as  an  inference  from 
his  own  reasoning.     Yerse  26  :  "And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  sa- 
ved."    He  does  not  speak  of  what  some  please  to  term  spirit- 
ual Israel:  this  was  neither  the  subject  of  his  argument,  nor 
at  any  time  a  matter  of  disagreement.     Nor  does  he  mean 
that  some,  a  present  election  of  a  small  number  of  believing 
Israelites,  should  be  saved.    This,  as  no  #ne  doubted  it,  was 
not  the  subject  of  either  his  argument,  or  his  inference.     It 
was  Israel,  as  a  people :  the  Israelites  who  should  remain  in  the 
world  at  the  time  of  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles ;  unto  which 
time,  and  no  longer,  should  the  blindness  of  the  unbelieving 
Israelites  be  continued.    Then — not  a  remnant,  merely,  of 
those  then  surviving,  as  it  is  now — but  a  remnant,  considered 
in  its  relation  to  the  whole  number  that  will  have  existed  pre- 
viously: — Then,  at  the  removal  of  the  blindness  from  the 
blind,  shall  "  all  Israel"  ~be  saved. 

19.  Direct  proof.    It  is  predicted.     Yerse   26 :    "  There 
shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away 
ungodliness  from  Jacob."     Not  from  what  some  may  please 
to  term  "  spiritual  Jacob  :  "  spiritual  Jacob  is  not  ungodly. 
Not  from  the  present  few  among  Israel  who  believe  on  the 
Messiah :  that  was  not  a  matter  of  dispute  or  inference  at 
all.     But  he  "  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob  /"  the 
father's  name  being  put  for  all  his  descendants. 

20.  God  has  solemnly  promised  to  do  it.    Yerse  27  :  "  For 
this  is  my  covenant  unto  them." 

21.  They  shall  le  made  holy.    Yerse  27:  "When  I  shall 
take  away  their  sins."* 

22.  Their  present  enmity  to  the  gospel  does  not  either  vitiate 
their  election,  AS  A  PEOPLE,  or,  AS  A  PEOPLE,  remove  them,  "beyond 
divine  love.     Yerse  28  :  u  As  concerning  the  gospel,  they  are 
enemies  for  your  sake :  but  as  touching  the  election,  THEY  ARE 

BELOVED  FOR  THE  FATHERS5  SAKES." 

23.  God  does  not  repent  of  having  selected  that  people,  or  of 
having  given  to  them  so  many  favors.     Yerse  29  :    "  For  the 
gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance." 

24.  They  shall  yet  obtain  mercy.    Yerse  31 :  "  Even  so  have 

*  See  Ezek.  xxxvi.  21-38  ;  and  parallel  places. 


376  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

these  also  not  now  believed,  that  through  your  mercy  they  also 
may  obtain  mercy"  Yerse  32  :  "  For  God  hath  concluded 
them  all  in  unbelief ,  THAT  HE  MIGHT  HAVE  MERCY  TJPON  ALL." 

25.  This  will  magnify   God's    wisdom    and   knowledge. 
Yerse  33  :  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  God !"     He  not  only  knows  what  is  best,  but  he 
is  wise  to  bring  it  about. 

26.  Objection.     "  We  cannot  understand   why  he  should 
do  so."     Yerse  33  :   "  How  unsearchable  are  his  judgments, 
and  his  ways  past  finding  out !" 

27.  Contrast.     TVe  should  not  have  counseled  the  Lord  to 
do  so.     Our  minds  would  not  have  agreed  with  his.     Yerse 
34 :    "  For  who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord  ?   or  who 
hath  been  his  counsellor  ?" 

28.  The  wisdom  of  this  purpose  was  purely  divine.     Yerse 
35  :  "  Or  who  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be  recom- 
pensed unto  him  again." 

29.  Consequence.     This  will  give  to  God  all    the  glory. 
Yerse  36  :  "  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all 
things :  to  whom  be  glory  forever.     Amen." 

Thus,  at  the  time  appointed,  when  "  the  set  time  to  favor 
Zion  "  shall  come,  at  "  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,"  Jerusalem 
shall  be  no  longer  "  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,"  "  blind- 
ness in  part"  shall  no  longer  happen  unto  Israel;  then  "There 
shall  come  forth  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn 
away  ungodliness  from  Jacob."  This  is  God's  "covenant 
unto  them,"  "  when  he  shall  take  away  their  sins." 

The  whole  matter  is  predicted  ;  the  whole  matter  is  cove- 
nanted ;  the  whole  will  be  fulfilled.  The  remnant  of  Israel 
• — remnant  considered  with  reference  to  those  who  have  pre- 
viously existed  ;  —  the  remnant  of  Israel  —  the  Israel  that 
shall  remain ;  —  being,  as  the  prophets  have  so  frequently  de- 
clared, "  the  whole  house  of  Israel,"  and  as  Paul  understood 
it,  "  all  Israel ;"  —  the  remnant  of  Israel  shall  then  be  saved  ; 
saved  from  their  sufferings  ;  saved  from  their  sins ;  gathered 
unto  their  fatherland  ;  gathered  unto,  and  into,  Christ.  Then 
will  be  realized  the  unspeakably  glorious  events  referred  to 
by  St.  Paul  in  Eph.  i.  9-14,  —  "  Having  made  known  unto  us 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  3YT 

the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which 
he  hath  purposed  in  himself ;  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the 
fullness  of  times  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in 
Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth ; 
even  in  him." 

See  the  whole  passage  explained  and  applied  in  chapter  14 
of  this  Treatise. 

There  is  just  one  more  topic  to  be  considered  in  this  con- 
nection :  Our  Lord  says,  "  And  he  shall  send  his  ANGELS, 
with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together 
his  elect" 

This  is  a  delightful  subject  of  contemplation ;  but  the  de- 
sign of  the  Treatise  will  not  render  it  expedient  to  linger  long 
in  its  consideration.  This  employment  of  the  angels  will  not 
necessarily  introduce  any  new  agency  into  the  operations  of 
grace  and  providence  ;  for  St.  Paul  informs  us  in  Heb.  i.  14, 
that  the  angels  are  "  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  min- 
ister for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation."  Examples  of 
angelic  agency  are  almost  innumerable  in  the  Scriptures ; 
and  we  have  reason  to  suppose  that  it  has  ever  been  God's  estab- 
lished method  of  effecting  many  of  his  purposes.  In  the  parable 
of  the  wheat  and  the  tares,  Matt.  xiii.  36-^13,  our  Lord  has  very 
distinctly  set  forth  the  offices  of  his  angels  in  the  consummation 
of  the  present  dispensation,  and  the  introduction  of  the  next. 
The  angels  will  be  employed  both  in  the  destruction  of  the 
wicked,  and  in  the  preservation  of  the  righteous :  Speaking 
of  the  wheat  and  tares,  with  reference  to  the  final  result,  the 
proprietor  of  the  field  is  represented  as  saying,  verse  30, 
"  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest ;  and  in  the  time 
of  the  harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reapers,  Gather  ye  together 
first  the  tares,*  and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them  ;  but 
gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn."  The  Lord's  interpretation  of 
the  parable  was  this  :  verse  38 :  "  The  field  is  the  world  ;  the 

*  See  Zech.  xiv.  2,  3,  12,  16 ;  Joel  iii.  1,  2, 11, 12, 13,  14, 15, 16 ;  Ezek.  xxxviii. 
2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  15,  16;  Isa.  Ixvi.  18,  19;  Isa.  xxiv.  21,  22;  Comp.  with  Isa, 
Ixvi.  15,  16 ;  Ezek.  xxxviii.  21,  22,  23  ;  Ezek.  xxxix.  17,  18  19,  20,  21 ;  Rev.  xix. 
14,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  21. 


378  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

good  seed  [the  wheat]  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom ;  but 
the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one.  39.  .  .  The 
harvest  is  the  end  of  the  world ;  and  THE  REAPERS  ABE  THE  AN- 
GELS. 40.  As  therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in 
the  fire ;  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  this  world.  41.  THE 
SON  OF  MAN  SHALL  SEND  FORTH  HIS  ANGELS,  and  they  shall 
gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and 
them  that  do  iniquity  ;  42.  And  shall  cast  them  into  a 
furnace  of  fire :  there  shall  be  wailing,*  and  gnashing 
of  teeth.  43.  THEN  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun 

IN  THE  KINGDOM  OF  THEIR  FATHER." 

The  reapers  —  the  angels  —  will  then  gather  the  wheat  — 
the  righteous  —  into  the  garner  —  the  kingdom  of  God.  The 
same  thing  is  taught  by  our  Lord  in  the  concluding  part  of 
the  discourse  forming  the  subject  of  this  Treatise.  Matt.  xxv. 
31  :  "  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  AND  ALL 
THE  HOLY  ANGELS  WITH  HIM,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne 
of  his  glory :  [upon  his  glorious  throne  :]  32.  And  before  him 
shall  be  gathered  all  nations  ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one 
from  another,f  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the 
goats : :£  33.  And  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  the  right  hand,  but 
the  goats  on  the  left.  34.  Then  shall  the  king  say  unto  them 
on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world." 

The  chronological  identity  of  the  events  described  in  Matt, 
xiii.  39-43  ;  xxiv.  29-31,  and  xxv.  31-46,  is  too  evident  to  be 
reasonably  doubted.  And  we  learn,  consequently,  that  in 
the  closing  up  of  the  mediatorial  dispensation,  and  the  estab- 
lishing of  the  everlasting  kingdom,  by  all  the  saints  being 
gathered  into  it,  after  the  wicked  are  gathered  out ;  —  that 
the  angels  will  be  conspicuously  employed  both  in  the  de- 

*  See  Matt.  xxiv.  30 ;  Rev.  i.  7. 

f  Matt.  viii.  49  :  "So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the  world:  the  angels  shall 
tome  forth  and  sever  the  wicked  from  among  the  just,  50.  And  shall  cast  them 
into  the  furnace  of  fire." 

\  The  process  and  result  of  the  judgment. 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  879 

struction  of  the  wicked,  and  in  the  gathering  and  salvation  of 
the  righteous. 

The  principal  difference  perhaps  between  the  angelic  agen- 
cy then,  and  the  same  agency  now,  will  be,  the  visibility/  of 
it  It  is  now  generally  unperceived,  and  in  many  instances 
unsuspected ;  yet  the  reality,  and  the  generality,  of  angelic 
agency  are  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  both  by  precept 
and  example.  And  the  same  thing  is  true  with  respect  to  the 
agency  of  Christ  himself.  During  the  mediatorial  dispensa- 
tion he  exercises  his  office  as  the  High  Priest,  hidden  within 
the  holy  of  holies,  which  is  heaven  itself:  Heb.  ix.  24: 
"  Whom  the  heavens  must  receive,  UNTIL  THE  TIMES  OF  RESTITUTION 

OF  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  GoD  HATH  SPOKEN  BY  THE  MOUTH  OF  ALL  HIS 

HOLY  PROPHETS,  SINCE  THE  WORLD  BEGAN."  Then,  "  at  the  fullness 
of  times,"  when  he  completes  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  by 
"  gathering  together  into  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which 
are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth,"  Eph.  i.  10 :  then 
"The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven,  with  his 
mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire  taking  vengeance  on  them  that 
know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruc- 
tion from  i\\Q  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power ;  WHEN  HE  SHALL  COME  TO  BE  GLORIFIED  IN  HIS  SAINTS, 

AND  TO  BE  ADMIRED  IN  ALL  THEM  THAT  BELIEVE   IN    THAT    DAY  :" 

2  Thess.  i.  7-10. 

Thus,  as  Christ  has  in  the  discourse  under  notice,  so  the 
Scriptures  elsewhere  associate  with  him  the  angels,  in  the  vis- 
ible revelation  of  himself  to  close  up  the  present  dispensation, 
and  consummate  the  fulfillment  of  all  that  has  been  predicted 
by  all  the  prophets  since  the  beginning.  And  the  angels  will 
be  employed  both  in  the  gathering  and  destruction  of  the 
wicked,  and  in  the  gathering  and  preservation  of  the  righte- 
ous. The  Lord  enable  us  to  "  believe  in  that  day !"  2  Thess. 
i.  10.*  "And  to  wait  for  his  Son  from  heaven!"  May 
"  our  conversation  be  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  we 
look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  1"  Phil.  iii. 

*  Leaving  out  the  parenthesis. 


380  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

20.  May  "  the  testimony  of  Christ "  be  "  confirmed  "  in 
ns ;  "  so  that  we  come  behind  in  no  gift ;  waiting  for  the  rev- 
elation of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  that  we  may  be  "  blameless 
in  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ !"  1  Cor.  i.  6-8.  May 
we  prove  to  be  the  "hope,"  the  "joy,"  the  "crown  of  re- 
joicing" of  the  apostles,  "  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  at  his  coming!"  1  Thess.  ii.  19.  May  he  "establish 
our  hearts  unblamable  in  holiness  before  God,  even  our 
Father,  at  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his 
saints !"  1  Thess.  iii.  13.  God  forbid  that  we  should  be 
"  ashamed  "  of  him,  or  of  his  "  words,"  before  an  "  adulterous 
and  sinful  generation,"  lest  the  "  Son  of  man  be  ashamed  "  of 
us,  "  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  the  holy 
angels !"  Mark  viii.  38.  "  And  now,  little  children,  abide 
in  him ;  that  when  he  shall  appear,  we  may  have  confidence, 
and  not  be  ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming."  1  John 
ii.  28. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  381 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Principal  subjects  —  REDEMPTION  OF  THE  SAINTS.    "  THIS  GENE- 
RATION" —  RENOVATION  OF  THE  EARTH  AND  HEAVENS. 

Change  in  the  character  of  the  Discourse  —  Redemption  drawing  nigh  — - 
Nature  of  the  Redemption — When  and  How  it  will  be  effected — The  Fig- 
tree— The  Kingdom  of  God— The  Parables  all  relate  to  One  Period- 
Nature  of  the  Period  —  Hope  of  the  Saints  —  "  This  Generation"  —  Newton's 
Definition  —  Whitby's  Review  —  New  Testament  use  —  Divine  principle  of 
Government  —  Dr.  Clarke's  View  —  Opinion  of  Dr.  Tower —  Of  Mr.  Mede  — 
"Wolfius — Dr.  Sykes  —  Ancient  Divines  —  English  Definitions  —  Passing 
away  of  the  Earth  and  Heavens — Use  of  the  declaration  —  Ignorance  of  the 
Time — Appropriate  Duty — Nature  of  the  Advent — Pre-Millenial — Proofs — 
Indications  —  Condition  of  the  Glutton,  the  Drunkard  and  the  Worldly- 
minded —  Unexpectedness  of  the  Event  —  Consequence. 

[Luke :  AND  WHEN  THESE  THINGS  BEGIN  TO  COME  TO  PASS,  THEN  LOOK  UP,  AND 

LEFT  UP  YOUtt  HEADS  J    FOK  YOUR  REDEMPTION  DRAWETH  NEAR.] 

HERE  begins  the  hortative  part  of  our  Saviour's  discourse. 
The  prophecy  is  finished.  It  has  set  forth,  in  unbroken  chro- 
nological succession,  the  principal  events,  relevant  to  the  sub- 
ject in  discussion,  from  the  first  appearing  of  the  false  Christs 
unto  the  final  coming  of  the  true  Christ,  at  the  end  of  the 
present  dispensation.  There  is  no  breaking  of  the  thread  of 
discourse ;  nothing  to  give  occasion  to  the  inquiry,  which 
part  belongs  to  Jerusalem,  and  which  to  the  end  of  the 
world?  There  is  no  necessity  whatever  for  the  indefinite, 
unauthorized,  and  ruinous  jumbling  together  of  the  different 
subjects  of  the  prophecy,  as  we  find  it  in  many  of  the  Com- 
mentaries. 

The  mass  of  readers  are  confused  and  dissatisfied  with  such 
a  method  of  interpretation ;  and  the  dissatisfaction  is  con- 
stantly increasing.  It  is  speaking  safely,  and,  considering  the 
importance  of  the  matter,  it  is  speaking  softly,  to  say,  that  the 
usual  methods  of  expounding  this  portion  of  the  Scriptures 
have  proved  but  little  less  than  a  total  failure.  The  Harmony 
and  Exposition  herewith  presented  shows  a  natural,  unbroken 


HAKMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

succession  of  events  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  ;  for  the 
verse  supplied  from  Luke,  put  into  its  appropriate  place,  be- 
tween the  twenty-eighth  and  twenty-ninth  of  Matthew,  takes 
up  the  subject  at  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem,  and  carries  it 
along  down  to  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,  when  Jerusalem 
shall  be  no  longer  trodden  down  by  them.  And,  at  the 
proper  place,  still  preserving  the  true  order  of  succession,  the 
second  coming  of  Christ  is  treated,  with  respect  to  its  fact  and 
character,  and  its  immediately  preceding  and  succeeding 
events.  The  parenthetic  allusion  to  it  in  the  27th  verse  has 
been  sufficiently  explained  in  its  proper  place. 

When  it  is  remarked,  that  the  prophecy  is  now  finished,  it 
is  not  meant  that  there  is  nothing  afterwards  introduced  which 
is  of  a  prophetic  character,  for  there  are  several  instances  to 
be  noticed.  It  will  be  observed,  however,  by  the  careful 
reader,  that  they  are  simply  additional  and  illustrative  par- 
ticulars, which  are  used  for  the  purpose  of  admonition  and 
consolation.  And  they  all,  without  exception,  relate  to  the 
closing  period  of  the  present  dispensation. 

In  relation  to  the  verse  at  the  head  of  this  chapter,  it  may 
be  remarked,  that  in  all  the  Commentaries  now  before  the 
writer,  there  is  either  nothing  at  all  said,  or  nothing  to  the 
purpose.  The  wretched  attempts  to  make  it  apply  somehow 
to  the  period  of  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem,  are  certainly  too 
superficial,  and  too  utterly  destitute  of  any  historical  evidence, 
to  deserve  a  formal  reply.  Let  any  one  endeavor  to  fix  upon 
some  historic  evidence  of  Christians  being  redeemed,  as  the 
figurative  theory  supposes,  upon  the  downfall  of  the  Jewish 
nation  ; — let  him  satisfy  himself  as  to  what  Christ  meant  by 
"  these  things  beginning  to  come  to  pass,"  and  thus  indica- 
ting their  redemption  drawing  nigh; — let  him  produce  a 
single  Scripture  or  historic  proof  that  "  the  kingdom  of  God 
was  nigh  at  hand,"  implying  that  the  gospel  kingdom  had  not 
been  previously  established ;  —  let  him  refer  to  a  single  proof 
of  any  kind  that  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  nation  had 
anything  to  do,  either  with  the  beginning,  or  the  establishing 
of  the  gospel  kingdom,  and  this  portion  of  the  Treatise  shall 
be  confessed  to  be  a  failure. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

But  when  the  text  before  us  is  considered  in  its  proper  rela- 
tion to  the  second  advent  of  our  Lord,  how  definite,  how  evi- 
dent, how  consoling  its  teaching!  In  Dan.  vii.  21,  we  learn, 
that  the  "  little  horn "  "  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  pre- 
vailed against  them,  verse  22,  Until  the  Ancient  of  Days 
came,  and  judgment  was  given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most 

High  /     AND    THE    TIME   CAME   THAT   THE   SAINTS     POSSESSED   THE 

KINGDOM."  And  we  learn  also  from  the  25th  verse,  that  he 
"  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,"  "  and  they 
shall  be  given  into  his  hand  until  a  time,  and  times,  and  the 
dividing  of  times.  26.  But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and  they 
shall  take  away  his  dominion  to  consume  and  destroy  it  unto 
the  end.  27.  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given 
to  the  saints  of  the  Moat  High,"  &c.  Chapter  vii.  9-14,  will 
still  further  explain  the  quotation,  and  so  will  chapter 
viii.  9-14. 

The  Bible  has  no  where  contradicted  the  declaration  of 
Christ  to  his  disciples,  "  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribula- 
tion ; "  John  xvi.  33.  The  whole  spirit,  as  well  as  the  letter, 
of  the  Scriptures  shows  that  God's  people  are  not  to  expect 
any  "  continuing  city  "  in  this  world.  Their  eye  of  hope  has 
ever  been  directed  to  things  beyond  the  present  life.  There 
is  no  promise,  not  one,  of  a  time  of  general  rest  to  God's  peo- 
ple, before  the  second  coming  of  Christ  at  the  last  day. 

The  "  redemption"  for  which  they  are  encouraged  to  "  lift 
up  their  heads,"  is  something  more  than  a  mere  temporary 
cessation  or  alleviation  of  their  sufferings  in  this  world.  They 
are  taught  to  look  for  their  redemption  from  sufferings,  and 
their  final  blessedness,  in  connection  with  their  reception  of 
"  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth 
not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  us,  who  are  kept  by  the 
power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  ~be  re- 
vealed in  the  last  time;  wherein  we  greatly  rejoice,  though 
now  for  a  season  (if  need  be)  we  are  in  heaviness  through 
manifold  temptations  ;  that  the  trial  of  our  faith,  being  more 
precious  than  of  gold  that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with 
fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise,  and  honor,  and  glory,  at  the, 


384  HAKMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

appearing  of  Jesus  Christ."  "  Wherefore  gird  up  the  loins 
of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace  that 
is  to  be  brought  unto  you,  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ" 
1  Pet.  i.  4-T  and  13.* 

During  the  whole  period  of  existence  in  this  sinful  world, 
the  saints  are  represented  as  groaning  within  themselves, 
"  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption"  of  their 
"  bodies :"  Rom.  viii.  23.  While  dwelling  in  the  "  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle,"  they  "  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to 
be  clothed  upon  with  their  house  which  is  from  heaven  : "  2 
Cor.  v.  1,  2.  They  are  taught  to  expect  entire  redemption 
from  all  the  sufferings  of  the  present  state,  by  being  admit- 
ted into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  the  Lord.  But  they  were 
not  to  expect  this  until  the  return  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  He 
goes  to  prepare  a  place  for  them ;  and  he  will  come  unto  them 
again,  and  receive  them  unto  himself:  John  xiv.  3.  But 
previous  to  his  coming,  he  has  declared  that  there  should  be 
the  signs  in  the  heavens,  and  in  the  earth  and  sea,  which  are 
recorded  in  Matt.  xxiv.  29.f  All  these  events  should  trans- 
pire in  rapid  succession ;  and  they  should  usher  in  his  final 
coming  to  fulfill  his  promises  to  the  elect,  by  gathering  them 
together  from  the  four  winds  of  heaven.  It  is  then  that  the 
servants  that  have  improved  their  talents,  shall  "  enter  into 
the  joy  of  their  Lord."  Chapter  xxv.  14-23.  "Then  shall 
the  king  say  to  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world  ; "  chapter  xxv.  34. 

This  will  be  the  time  of  redemption  to  the  saints.  The 
very  things  that  alarm  the  ungodly,  and  certify  them  of  their 
doom,  shall  comfort  the  saints,  and  certify  them  of  the  com- 
ing of  their  Lord  to  save  them.  And  when  these  things 
begin  to  come  to  pass,  they  are  to  look  up,  and  lift  up  their 
heads,  for  their  redemption  draweth  nigh  :  these  events  which 
immediately  precede  the  second  advent  will  not  be  long  in 
their  fulfillment ;  and  as  soon  as  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  the 

kingdom  shall  be  given  to  the  saints,  to  possess  it  forever. 

• 

*  See  also  Eph.  i.  10-14. 

f  As  exhibited  in  the  Harmony ;  which  see. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  385 

Verge  32.   Now  LEARN  A  PARABLE  OF  THE  FIG-TREE;  WHEN  HIS  BRANCH  is  TET  TBN- 

DER,  AND  PUTTETH  FORTH  LEAVES,  YE  KNOW  THAT  SUMMER  IS  NIGH.  VerSC  33.  So 
LIKEWISE  YE,  WHEN  YE  SHALL  SEE  ALL  THESE  THINGS,  KNOW  THAT  IT  [Luke :  THE 
KINGDOM  OF  GrOD]  IS  NEAR,  EVEN  AT  THE  DOORS. 

After  the  foregoing  observations,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to 
dwell  for  a  moment  upon  these  two  verses.  It  should  be  care- 
fully noticed,  however,  that  the  "  redemption"  of  which  he 
spake  was  to  be  realized  in  connection  with  the  coming  of 
the  "  'kingdom  of  God"  And  here  it  may  as  well  be  said,  as 
anywhere  else,  that  all  the  parables  which  the  Saviour  de- 
livered in  connection  with  his  prophecy,  relate  to  the  same 
period:  they  all  refer  to  his  second  coming  to  judge  and 
to  reward :  See  chap.  xxv.  5,  6,  10,  13 ;  19-23  ;  31,  34,  46. 
They  all  hold  forth  the  time  of  separation  between  the  two 
characters :  verses  10,  12 ;  23,  30 ;  34,  41,  46.  They  all  inti 
mate  the  closing  up  of  human  probation.  They  all  seem 
clearly  to  teach  the  final  result  of  a  life  of  obedience,  and  a 
life  of  sin.  And  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  set  forth  as  the 
time  when  both  characters  are  to  be  judged :  the  wicked 
punished  by  "  outer  darkness"  and  "  everlasting  punishment ;" 
the  righteous  glorified  and  blessed  by  admission  to  the  mar- 
riage :  verse  10 ;  by  entering  into  the  joy  of  the  Lord,  reign- 
ing with  him :  verse  21 ;  and  by  inheriting  the  everlasting 
kingdom  :  verses  34,  46. 

When  the  fig-tree  puts  forth  its  leaves,  they  would  know 
that  summer  was  nigh.  So  when  these  things  should  begin  to 
come  to  pass,  they  would  know  that  their  redemption  was 
nigh  :  the  time  of  admission  to  the  marriage  feast ;  the  time 
of  being  made  ruler  over  many  things ;  the  time  of  inheriting 
the  kingdom :  And  the  Bible  everywhere  points  to  this 
period  as  the  time  of  complete  happiness  and  glory  to  the 
saints.  To  this  period  Paul  looked  for  his  crown :  2  Tim.  iv. 
8.  To  this  period  all  the  saints  are  directed  to  look  for  their 
final  redemption :  2  Thess.  i.  10.  To  this  period  the  dead  in 
Christ  look  as  the  time  of  receiving  their  full  reward  :  Rev. 
xi.  15,  IT,  18.  For  this  period  they  are  represented  as  pray- 
ing, and  looking  with  hope :  Rev.  vi.  9-11.  By  the  saints 
living,  and  to  them  that  sleep  in  Jesus,  this  time  is  longed 
25 


386  ttABMONY   AlfD  EXPOSITION". 

after  as  the  period  of  final  redemption ;  for  when  the  Lord 
comes,  he  will  bring  with  him  such  as  have  already  died  and 
waited  in  hope  for  the  time  of  "judging  the  dead,  and  giving 
reward  unto  his  servants  ; "  and  then  shall  be  gathered  unto 
him  also  all  that  are  alive  and  remain  unto  his  coming.  It  is 
the  day  of  final  redemption ;  to  be  ushered  in  as  predicted 
by  Christ  and  many  of  the  prophets. 

The  reader  is  requested  now  to  examine  Note  P,  in  the 
Appendix,  which  treats  more  particularly  of  the  primitive 
Christian  doctrine  of  the  Millennial  Reign  of  Christ. 

Verse  34.   VERILY  i  SAT  UNTO  YOU,  THIS  GENERATION  SHALL  NOT  PASS,  TILL  ALL 

THESE  THINGS  BE  FULFILLED. 

By  many  this  verse  has  been  deemed  of  itself  sufficient  to 
prove  that  all  that  had  been  predicted  by  our  Saviour  must 
be  applied  to  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews  of  that  age,  and  not  to 
the  end  of  the  world,  because  that  generation  (interpreted  to 
mean  those  then  living)  should  not  pass  until  all  should  be 
fulfilled. 

Bishop  NEWTON  observes,  "  It  is  to  me  a  wonder  how  any 
man  can  refer  part  of  the  foregoing  discourse  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  and  part  to  the  end  of  the  world,  or  any 
other  distant  event,  when  it  is  said  so  positively  here  in  the 
conclusion,  All  these  things  shall  be  fulfilled  in  this  genera- 
tion" The  Bishop  makes  no  attempt  to  prove  that  /evsa  has, 
or  must  have,  this  meaning  in  the  verse  under  notice ;  he 
seems  to  have  supposed  that  it  should  be  taken  for  granted 
by  every  one,  that  this  is  the  proper  and  common  meaning 
of  the  word  ;  yet  he  must  have  known  that  the  word  was  not 
nsually  so  understood  either  by  classical  or  inspired  writers  ; 
and  that  the  meaning  which  he  insisted  upon  was  very  gen- 
erally disallowed  by  the  more  ancient  Christian  divines.  And 
yet  how  positive  he  is  in  maintaining  his  assertion  !  He  even 
deems  the  bare  expression,  "  this  generation,"  a  sufficient 
proof  that  all  that  has  preceded  it  in  the  prophecy  should  be 
applied  to  Jerusalem. 

Dr.  WHITBY  is,  if  possible,  still  more  positive  than  the  for- 
me*. But  Whitby  usually  has  the  merit  of  undertaking  to 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  387 

prove  his  assertions.  This,  it  may  be  observed,  is,  to  some 
extent,  the  difference  between  these  two  great  and  excellent 
men :  Newton  more  frequently  asserts,  without  laboring  to 
prove  ;  Whitby  almost  always  brings  forth  his  strong  reasons. 
One  is  the  better  historian ;  the  other,  the  better  logician. 
Newton  labors  to  illustrate  his  position ;  Whitby  labors  to 
establish  it.  It  is  so  in  respect  of  the  matter  now  before  us. 
"Whitby  says,  "  These  words,  y  ysvea  auri],  c  this  age,  (or  gen- 
eration,) shall  not  pass  away,'  afford  a  full  demonstration  that 
all  which  Christ  had  mentioned  hitherto  was  to  be  accom- 
plished, not  at  the  time  of  the  conversion  of  the  Jews,  or  at 
the  final  day  of  judgment,  but  in  that  very  age,  or  whilst 
some  of  that  generation  of  men  lived ;  for  /evsd  atk*j,  <  this 
generation,'  never  bears  any  other  sense  in  the  New  Testement 
than  the  men  of  this  age."*  Then  follow  quotations  and  ref- 
erences, as  follows :  Matt.  xi.  16 ;  xii.  42,  45  ;  xxiii.  36  ;  Mark 
viii.  12  ;  Luke  vii.  31 ;  xi.  29,  30,  32,  50,  51 ;  xvi.  8  ;  Acts 
ii.  40. 

In  reply  to  this,  let  it  be  noticed, 

1.  That  the  affirmation  concerning  the  New  Testament  use 
of  the  word,  is  by  no  means  proved  by  the  passages  referred 
to. 

(1.)  Matt.  xi.  16  :  "  But  whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  gener- 
ation ?  It  is  like  unto  children  sitting  in  the  markets,"  &c. 
The  whole  passage  relates  to  the  captiousness  and  obstinacy 
of  the  Jews  generally,  in  their  treatment  of  their  divinely 
commissioned  teachers.  The  particular  instances  referred  to 
had  reference  to  the  reception  of  John,  and  of  Christ  him- 
self. Now  let  it  be  remembered  that  this  trait  in  the  Jews 
was  not  confined  to  the  men  of  that  time ;  nor  was  it,  per- 
haps, any  more  characteristic  of  those  then  living  than  of  men 
of  former  times,  and  of  times  subsequent.  Captiousness  and 
obstinacy  were  from  the  beginning  a  striking  characteristic 
of  that  ysvsa,  —  of  that  racfe,  or  kind  of  people.  There  are 
multitudes  of  references  to  this  trait  in  Jewish  character  in 
both  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New.  It  may  be  admitted, 

*  As  great  and  as  learned  men,  as  will  be  hereafter  shown,  have  been  of 
quite  another  opinion. 


388  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

indeed,  that  Christ  had  more  particular  reference  to  his  own 
and  John's  treatment  by  the  persons  then  living  ;  but  the  ex- 
pression, "  this  generation,"  did  not  limit  the  character  devel- 
oped to  that  age  /  it  had  been  developed  in  almost  every  age. 
That  generation  —  that  people  —  that  race  of  people  —  had 
been  accustomed  to  display  the  same  character  from  the  times 
of  their  fathers,  who  had  "  killed  the  prophets,  and  stoned 
those  that  were  gent  unto  them." 

(2.)  The  next  references  are  to  Matt.  xii.  42,  45 ;  to  these 
there  should  have  been  added  verse  39,  which  introduces  the 
subject.  Yerse  38  :  "  Then  certain  of  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees answered,  saying,  Master,  we  would  see  a  sign  from  thee. 
39.  But  he  answered  and  said  to  them,  An  evil  and  adulterous 
generation  seeketh  after  a  sign,  and  there  shall  no  sign  be  giv- 
en to  it,  but  the  sign  of  the  prophet  Jonas.  40.  For  as  Jonas 
was  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  whale's  belly  ;  so  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart 
of  the  earth."  Then  follow  three  other  instances  of  the  use 
of  the  word  generation,  which  will  be  considered  in  due  time. 

In  respect  to  that  generation  seeking  a  sign,  though  it  was 
true  of  the  people  then  living,  they  were  not  called  a  genera- 
tion because  they  were  then  alive ;  but  they  were  simply  ad- 
dressed as  an  evil  and  adulterous  people.  Neither  was  this 
peculiar  to  those  then  living,  nor  can  it  be  justly  limited  to 
those  then  alive. 

They  were  that  sort  of  people.  To  seek  for  signs  was  a  Jew- 
ish characteristic ;  "  For  the  Jews  require  a  sign,  and  the 
Greeks  seek  after  wisdom  :"  1  Cor.  i.  22.  This  was  not  to  be 
restricted  to  those  of  any  particular  age ;  it  was  characteristic 
of  the  races :  the  Greeks,  as  a  people,  were  thus  characterized ; 
and  the  Jews,  as  a  /svsa,  were  so  characterized  from  the  be- 
ginning. 

Moses  knew  very  well  that  some  sign  must  be  exhibited  by 
him,  in  order  to  make  the  people  believe  ;  and  the  Lord  gave 
him  power  to  exhibit  several  signs 'to  convince  the  people. 
See  Ex.  iv.  1-9.  The  people  living  at  the  time  of  Christ  were 
"  evil  and  adulterous,"  just  as  their  fathers  had  been  before 
them.  Being  in  covenant  relation  with  God,  under  the  simili- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

tude  of  a  marriage  contract,  they  were  often  charged  with 
adultery  on  account  of  their  evil  conduct.  But  it  is  a  ques- 
tion whether  the  people  were  in  the  time  of  Christ  particu- 
larly distinguished  on  this  account  from  their  ancestors  for 
many  ages.  A  little  acquaintance  with  Malachi  and  most  of 
the  other  prophets,  will  suffice  to  show  that  the  Saviour's  ex- 
pression in  respect  to  their  being  "  evil  and  adulterous,"  and 
"  seeking  after  a  sign,"  must  not  be  restricted  to  the  men  of 
that  age.  The  men  of  that  age  did  exhibit  the  national  traits, 
but  they  were  not  called  a  generation  because  they  were  then 
living,  but  on  account  of  being  of  a  certain  race,  or  lineage. 
This  appears  the  more  certain  from  an  expression  of  the  Sa- 
viour just  previously  ;  verse  34: :  "  O  generation  of  vipers, 
how  can  ye,  being  evil,  speak  good  things  ?" 

Dr.  Clarke's  note  on  a  similar  expression  is  impressive  : 
Matt.  iii.  7,  (The  words  of  John,)  "  O  generation  of  vipers, 
who  hath  warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?"  "  A 
terribly  expressive  speech.  A  serpentine  brood  from  a  ser- 
pentine, stock.  As  their  fathers  were,  so  were  they,  children 
of  the  wicked  one."  Our  Lord  uses  the  same  expression  in 
Matt,  xxiii.,  and  it  seems  that  he  bestowed  the  epithet  upon 
the  men  of  that  age,  not  because  they  were  living  at  that 
time,  but  on  account  of  their  descent.  Yerse  31 :  "  Where- 
fore ye  be  witnesses  unto  yourselves,  that  ye  are  the  children 
of  them  which  'killed  the  prophets.  32.  Fill  ye  up  then  the 
measure  of  your  fathers.  33.  Ye  serpents,  YE  GENERATION  OF 
VIPEES,  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell  ?" 

The  intention  of  the  word  "  generation  "  here  is  too  evident 
to  need  further  elucidation  ;  unless  it  be  simply  to  repeat,  that 
they  were  not  called  a  generation  because  they  were  living  at 
that  time,  but  because  of  their  lineage  and  character.  So  in 
respect  to  verse  36  :  "  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  All  these  things 
shall  come  upon  this  generation." 

Now  to  limit  the  term  to  the  persons  then  living,  will  ne- 
cessarily lead  to  the  following  untenable  conclusions :  first, 
that  the  blood  of  all  the  martyrs  from  the  beginning,  should 
be  visited  upon  the  persons  living  at  the  same  period  of  time. 
Now  this  is  neither  just,  true,  nor  according  to  God's  estab- 


390  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

lished  system  of  governing  the  world.  It  would  not  be  just : 
it  would  be  isolating  the  people  of  a  particular  time,  and  ma- 
king them  to  bear  the  punishment  for  sins  of  which  they  of 
that  time  were  not  guilty.  It  would  contradict  all  our  con- 
victions of  equity  and  wisdom  in  the  administration  of  justice. 

Such  a  restriction  of  the  term  would  not  be  in  harmony 
with  truth*  It  is  not  true  that  the  men  then  living  were  pun- 
ished for  all  the  blood  shed  by  their  fathers.  Much  of  the 
previous  sufferings  of  the  Jews  were  on  account  of  their  treat- 
ment of  their  prophets ;  and  much  of  the  after  suffering 
should  undoubtedly  be  attributed:  to  the  same  source.  The 
calamities  that  befell  the  Jews  then  living ,  were  but  a  little 
more  distressing  than  had  befallen  the  Jews  in  previous  ages ; 
and  but  a  little  more  distressing  than  befell  them  under  the 
Emperor  Adrian,  about  fifty  years  after  their  overthrow  by 
Titus. 

Now  to  suppose  that  the  men  of  that  age  were  punished  for 
all  the  blood  shed  upon  the  earth  from  the  beginning,  in  ad- 
dition to  their  own  blood-guiltiness  in  murdering  the  Lord 
Jesus ;  and  yet  suffered  only  a  little  more  severely,  in  the 
same  kind,  than  their  fathers  and  descendents  suffered,  is,  to 
say  the  least,  speaking  without  demonstration.  And  it  can- 
not help  the  matter  by  saying,  that  the  overthrow  and  calam- 
ity of  the  Jews  at  that  time  lasted  longer  than  any  former 
desolation ;  for  if  the  generation  upon  whom  the  whole  was 
to  be  visited,  meant  the  men  of  that  age,  then,  of  course,  the 
eighteen  centuries  of  continued  affliction  must  be  left  out  of 
the  account.  The  restriction  of  the  punishment  of  all  the 
previous  martyrdoms  to  the  people  that  were  then  living,  is 
not  in  accordance  with  truth.  Neither  is  it  in  harmony  with 
God's  established  principles  of  administration.  He  visits  the 
iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  to  the  third  and 
fourth  generations  of  them  that  hate  him.  But  to  concentrate 
the  punishment  of  fifty  generations  —  that  is,  fifty  successions, 
or  productions  of  men,  reckoning  from  father  to  son,  —  to 
concentrate  all  upon  those  living  at  any  one  period  of  time, 
is  directly  at  variance  with  this  divine  method  of  adminis- 
tration. 


\ 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  301 

There  is  no  difficulty  at  all  in  understanding  this  matter, 
and  keeping  rigidly  to  the  etymological  meaning  of  the  term 
generation.  Indeed,  this  is  the  only  possible  method  of  rec- 
onciling the  declaration  of  Christ  with  truth,  justice,  and  the 
divine  principles  of  government.  It  is  according  to  truth, 
justice,  and  the  divine  procedure,  to  deal  with  races  as  races. 
And  this  was  particularly  and  eminently  true  in  respect  to 
the  Jewish  /svsa — race,  generation,  or  kind  of  people.  As  a 
ysvsa,  they  had  shed  all  this  blood  of  martyrdom  ;  as  a  /svsa, 
they  should  be  punished  for  it ;  not  any  part  of  it  should  be 
left  out.  What  had  not  been  before  visited  upon  them,  as  a 
yevsd  of  people,  should  nevertheless  be  visited  upon  them. 
This  is  not  only  God's  published  method  of  dealing  with  men, 
but  it  is  the  historically  and  experimentally  proved  method 
of  governing  the  world.  Upon  that  /svsa,  thus  scripturally 
and  historically  explained,  there  should  indeed  be  visited  all 
the  iniquities  that  they,  as  a  people,  had  committed. 

But  did  not  the  Lord  —  speaking  to  those  then  living  —  say, 
"  That  upon  YOU  may  come  all  the  righteous  blood  shed  upon 
the  earth,"  &c  ?  He  did,  indeed.  And  did  he  not  in  the 
same  connection — speaking  of  the  death  of  Zecharias*  — 
say,  whom  YE  slew  ?  Did  he  not  also  say,  Behold,  YOUR  house 
is  left  unto  YOU  desolate.  For  I  say  unto  YOU,  YE  shall  not  see 
me  henceforth,  till  YE  shall  say,  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  ? 

What  can  be  more  certain,  than  that  he  was  not  here  speak- 
ing restrictively  to  those  before  him,  but  of  them  as  a  partic- 
ular /svsa — race,  ox  family  of  men?  As  such,  they  had  in- 
deed slain  not  only  Zecharias,  but  many  others  ;  as  suck,  they 
possessed  the  house  of  the  Lord :  to  them  the  temple  should 
continue  desolate,  until  they,  as  &  people,  shall  be  brought  to4 
say,  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And 
this  they,  as  a  /svsa  —  shall  certainly  do ;  for  so  it  is  written^ 
in  the  prophecies ;  and  in  the  same  connection,  in  many  pla- 
ces, it  is  as  clearly  predicted  that  Jerusalem  shall  be  again 

*  Commentators  are  obliged  to  refer  this  to  a  martyrdom  several  hundred 
years  before  the  time  of  Christ  See  Whitby,  Clarke,  Wesley,  Ac. 


392  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

built,  and  be  holy  unto  the  Lord.  "  For  the  children  of  Israel 
shall  abide  many  days  without  a  king,  and  without  a  prince, 
and  without  a  sacrifice,  and  without  an  image,  and  without  an 
ephod,  and  without  a  teraphim :  Afterwards  shall  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  return,  and  seek  the  Lord  their  God,  and  Da- 
vid their  Icing  ;  and  shall  fear  the  Lord  and  his  goodness  in 
in  the  latter  days."  Hos.  iii.  4,  5. 

Our  Lord  was  accustomed  to  speak  of  a  /evsa,  or  class  of 
men,  as  if  they  were  all  before  him,  though  they  might  be 
expected  to  continue  for  many  ages.  The  ministers  of  Christ,  as 
a  distinct  /evsa,  are  still  acting  under  the  authority,  and  still 
claiming  the  promise,  of  the  original  commission  which  was 
thus  delivered  to  the  apostles :  "  Go  YE  therefore,  and  teach 
all  nations  :  .  .  .  .  and  lo,  I  am  with  YOU  to  the  end  of 
the  world." 

Thus  we  see  that  the  instances  of  the  use  of  the  word  ysvsa, 
which  was  supposed  to  be  most  decisive  in  limiting  the  term 
to  the  persons  then  living,  so  far  from  deciding  the  matter  in 
that  way,  do  most  evidently  decide  it  against  that  application, 
and  in  favor  of  the  primitive  and  ordinary  use  of  the  term, 
—  meaning  a  race^  lineage,  or  class  of  people. 

The  other  instances  which  Whitby  cites  to  prove  the  limi- 
tation of  the  term  to  the  men  of  that  particular  time,  have  no 
more  logical  potency  than  those  already  considered :  the  whole 
argument  of  Whitby  is  open  to  the  charge  of  entire  miscon- 
ception, not  only  of  the  legitimate  and  Scripture  use  of  the 
term,  but  also  of  the  teachings  of  all  history,  our  natural  con- 
victions of  equity,  and  the  established  principles  of  divine 
legislation. 

Besides,  such  a  restriction  of  the  term  in  question,  not  only 
hopelessly  embarrasses  all  our  endeavors  to  systematize  and 
expound  the  Lord's  discourse,  but  (to  use  a  homely,  yet  ex- 
pressive word)  it  entirely  ignores  that  most  important  verse 
from  Luke  which  refers  to  the  treading  down  of  Jerusalem 
by  the  Gentiles.  That  verse  cannot  be  otherwise  than  of  the 
highest  importance.  But  how  has  it  been  treated  ?  The  ink 
almost  blushes  that  records  the  inquiry.  It  has  indeed  been 
alluded  to  by  most,  perhaps  all,  of  our  commentators.  But 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  393 

what  influence  has  it  been  allowed  to  exert  in  explaining  and 
modifying  their  theories  of  interpretation  ?  What  influence  ? 
Let  him  answer  who  can  find  in  many  of  our  Commentaries 
the  least  evidence  that  it  was  esteemed  of  any  importance, 
either  in  its  chronological  relations,  or  historic  teaching.  Be- 
longing necessarily  to  a  previous  part  of  the  prophecy,  and 
yet  reaching  forward  for  its  complete  fulfillment  to  a  still  fu- 
ture day,  the  expression,  "  This  generation  shall  not  pass  until 
all  these  things  be  fulfilled,"  is  affirmed  to  include  all  that  had 
previously  been  spoken ;  and  yet  the  word  generation  is  as 
confidently  asserted  to  include  only  the  men  of  that  age. 

"WTiitby  is  a  powerful  reasoner ;  and  when  he  proceeds  from 
correct  premises -,  the  author  of  this  Treatise  is  not  anxious  to 
stand  in  the  way  of  his  logic,  for  there  is  usually  an  over- 
whelming power  in  it.  But  when,  by  an  erroneous  theory, 
he  is  led  to  reason  from  incorrect  premises,  Whitby,  like 
Samson  from  Delilah's  lap,  rises  up  shorn  of  his  locks. 

The  author  was  not  aware,  when  he  adopted  his  present 
views,  (which  was  about  ten  years  ago,)  that  any  leading  di- 
vines had  been  led  to  the  same  conclusions  respecting  the  use 
of  the  word  /svsa.  So  far  as  he  has  power  to  recollect  how  he 
obtained  his  impressions,  it  was  rather  from  a  consideration 
of  the  nature  and  necessities  of  the  case,  than  from  any  criti- 
cal examination  of  the  word  in  question.  It  is  with  great 
pleasure  that  he  finds  that  others,  more  wise,  more  learned, 
more  good,  have  also  come  to  the  same  conclusions ;  and,  ap- 
parently, from  the  same  independent,  personal  research ;  and 
from  the  same  consideration  of  the  nature  and  circumstances 
of  the  case.  Among  this  number  it  is  pleasing  to  reckon  Dr. 
ADAM  CLARKE.  This  truly  learned  divine,  like  many  others, 
was  accasionally  led  into  glaring  errors,  ~by  trusting  to  the  re- 
searches and  opinions  of  others,  as  has  been  previously  shown 
in  respect  to  several  matters  pertaining  to  the  Jewish  war, 
and  the  progress  of  the  primitive  Christian  church.  Those 
matters  he  had  not  thoroughly  examined  himself:  he  trusted 
to  the  report  of  others,  and  was  lamentably,  yet  undeniably 
deceived.  General  history  was  not  his  proper  sphere  of  labor 
and  research.  His  special  endowment  was  for  the  investiga- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

I 

tion  and  elucidation  of  Oriental  customs  and  literature.  In 
that  department  lie  scarcely  had  a  peer.  In  that  department, 
in  the  nature  of  the  case,  he  must  have  excelled  in  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  languages  in  which  the  Scriptures  were  written  ; 
and  he  seems,  indeed,  to  have  had  an  almost  intuitive  percep- 
tion of  the  use  and  proprieties  of  the  ancient  languages.  He 
not  only  understood  the  languages  scientifically,  but  he  seems 
to  have  been  perfectly  familiar  with  the  idioms,  and,  of  course, 
the  uses  of  the  various  forms  of  speech  which  it  became  his 
peculiar  province  to  examine. 

As  might  be  expected,  then,  though  unfortunately  embar- 
rassed by  an  erroneous  theory  which,  by  the  way,  he  adopted 
from  others ;  and  misinformed  in  respect  to  some  important 
historical  matters,  which  he  had,  perhaps,  neither  time  nor 
taste  to  examine ;  yet,  after  all,  he  was  too  thoroughly  and 
independently  skilled  in  his  own  peculiar  department  as  an 
antiquarian  in  ancient  languages  and  customs,  to  be  led  into 
an  important  error  in  the  nature  and  use  of  so  common  and 
plain  a  word  as  ysved.  He  well  understood  its  derivation,  its 
composition,  and  its  classic  and  Scripture  use.  His  opinion 
in  this  matter  should  not  be  hastily  thrown  aside. 

In  giving  his  opinion  of  this  term,  however,  which  he  does 
frequently  and  confidently,  he  was  obliged  to  differ  from  those 
whom  he  usually  (some  would  say  blindly)  followed.  See  his 
note  on  the  passage  last  under  notice. 

Matt,  xxiii.,  33  :  "  Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  &c.] 
"  What  a  terrible  stroke  —  Ye  are  serpents,  and  the  offspring 
of  serpents.  This  refers  to  verse  31.  They  confessed  that 
they  were  the  children  of  those  who  murdered  the  prophets  ; 
and  they  are  now  going  to  murder  Christ  and  his  followers,  to 
show  that  they  have  not  degenerated — an  accursed  seed,  of  an 
accursed  lyreed"  Yerse  36 :  "  Shall  come  upon  this  generation.'] 
E«ri  To>  ysvgav  Taj/r^v,  upon  this  race  of  men,  viz :  the  Jews. 
This  phrase  often  occurs  in  this  sense  in  the  evangelists." 
Matt,  xi.,  16 :  "  Whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation  f] 
That  is,  the  Jewish  people  —  T^v  ysvsav  Tat/mv,  this  race  f  and 
BO  the  word  /evsa  is  often  to  be  understood  in  the  evangelists." 
Matt.  xii.  39 :  "  An  evil  an  adulterous  generation^  Or  race 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  395 


of  peeple;  for  so  ysvsa  should  be  translated  here,  and  in  most 
other  places  in  the  gospels  :  for  our  Lord,  in  general,  uses  it  to 
point  out  the  Jewish  people.  This  translation  is  a  key  to  unlock 
some  very  obscure  passages  in  the  evangelists."  "  Our  Lord 
terms  the  Jews  an  adulterous  race."  Luke  xi.  29  :  "  This 
is  an  evil  generation.]  Or,  This  is  a  wicked  race  of  men. 
See  on  Matt.  xii.  38-42.  Matt.  xxiv.  34  :  "  This  generation 
shall  not  pass.]  E  ygvsa  *U*TJ,  this  race;  i.  e.,  the  Jews  shall 
not  cease  from  being  a  distinct  people,  till  all  the  counsels  of 
God  relative  to  them  and  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled.  Some 
translate  ij  ysvsa  aurij,  this  generation,  meaning  the  persons 
who  were  then  living,  that  they  should  not  die  before  these 
signs,  &c.,  took  place.  But  though  this  was  true,  as  to  the 
calamities  that  fell  upon  the  Jews,  at  the  destruction  of  their 
government,  temple,  &c.  ;  yet  as  our  Lord  mentions  Jerusa- 
lem's continuing  to  be  under  the  power  of  the  Gentiles,  till 
the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  should  come  in,  i.  e.,  till  all  the 
nations  of  the  world  should  receive  the  gospel  of  Christ,  after 
which  the  Jews  themselves  should  be  converted  unto  God, 
Kom.  xi.  25,  &c.  I  think  it  more  proper  not  to  restrain  its 
meaning  to  the  few  years  which  preceded  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  ;  but  to  understand  it  of  the  care  taken  by  Divine 
Providence  to  preserve  them  as  a  distinct  people,  and  yet  to 
keep  them  out  of  their  own  land,  and  from  their  temple  ser- 
vice." Thus  far  Dr.  Clarke. 

In  the  generally  excellent  work  of  Rev.  JOSEPH  TOWERS, 
LL.  D.,  entitled  "Illustrations  of  Prophecy,"  to  which  refer- 
ence has  been  had  previously,  we  find  the  following  observa- 
tions on  the  text  under  notice  :  *  "  This  clause  of  the  predic- 
tion has,  I  conceive,  not  merely  been  generally  misapprehend- 
ed, but  moreover  falsely  translated  ;  and  this  is  the  opinion 
of  men,  who  hold  the  first  rank  in  Scriptural  criticism,  name- 
ly, of  MEDE,f  and  WOLFIUS,  and  Dr.  SYKES.  To  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  a  Mr.  HAYNE  had  applied  this  part  of  our 
Lord's  prophecy.  Hear  a  part  of  Mr.  MEDE'S  reply  :  '  I  an- 

»  First  American  ed.  1808,  2d.  vol.  on  p.  176. 

f  This  Mr.  Mede  was  called  the  most  learned  man  of  his  age. 


396  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

swcr,  first,  while  you  endeavor  in  this  manner  to  establish  a 
ground  for  the  first  coming  of  Christ,  you  bereave  the  church 
of  those  principal  passages  of  the  Scripture,  whereon  she  hath 
always  grounded  her  faith  of  the  second  coming*  Secondly, 
you  ground  all  this  upon  the  ambiguity  of  the  word  genera- 
tion, whereas,  /svea  signifies  not  only  setas,  but  gens,  natio 
progenies  ;  and  so  ought  to  be  here  taken,  viz  :  the  nation  of 
the  Jews  should  not  perish,  till  all  these  things  were  fulfilled. 
For  so  signifies  *ap&toj  in  the  Hebrew  notion,  as  you  may  see 
even  in  the  verse  following.  CHKYSOSTOM  among  the  ancients, 
and  FLACTUS  ILLYBICUS  (a  man  well  skilled  in  the  style  of 
Scripture,)  among  the  moderns,  and  those  who  follow  them, 
might  have  admonished  others  to  take  the  word  /svsa  in  this 
acceptation,  rather  than  by  turning  it  ostas,  or  seculum,  to 
put  this  prophecy  in  little  ease,  and  the  whole  harmony  of 
Scripture  out  of  frame,  ~by  I 'know  not  what  confused  interpre- 
tation.''^ "  I  only  add,"  continues  Dr.  TOWEES,  "  that  Dr. 
SYKES  declares  himself  the  more  confirmed  in  this  translation 
*  from  the  remarkable,  and  indeed,  unparalleled,  preservation 
of  the  Jews  in  the  midst  of  hatred  and  continued  persecutions.' 
The  meaning  then  is,  the  Jewish  nation  shall  assuredly  sub- 
sist as  a  distinct  people,  till  all  that  has  been  previously  men- 
tioned shall  have  been  fulfilled"  &c.  In  a  note,  Dr.  Towers 
adds,  "  Indeed,  by  the  fathers  in  general,  who  must  be  ad- 
mitted to  have  been  competent  judges  of  the  meaning  of  the 
word,  ysvsa.  was  not  understood  as  signifying  the  generation 
then  living.  Some  persons,  however,  there  were,  who  held 
this  opinion ;  but,  says  MALDONATUS,  ORIGEN  entitles  them 
simplices" 

It  is  not  a  little  remarkable,  after  the  use  which  Newton, 
Whitby,  Wesley,  Watson,  Burkitt,  and  others,  have  made  of 

*  How  true !  And  by  this  we  also  learn  what  had  always  been  the  general 
understanding  of  this  part  of  the  prophecy.  The  principal  effort  of  this  Trea- 
tise is  to  correct  a  prevalent,  dangerous,  and  modern  error,  and  bring  back  the 
church  to  its  ANCIENT  FAITH. 

\  So  it  must  ever  be,  whenever  any  but  the  legitimate  construction  is  pu  t 
upon  the  word  in  question.  As  Mr.  Mede  observes,  it  puts  the  whole  harmony 
of  Scripture  out  of  frame,  to  translate  the  term  ygvga  *n  this  place  so  as  to  be 
limited  to  that  particular  age. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  397 

the  word  generation,  how  little  authority  they  can  bring  even 
from  the  English  definition  of  the  term. 

WALKER'S  large  Dictionary  gives  seven  definitions  of  the 
word,  but  two  of  which,  (and  these  are  the  last  mentioned,) 
even  favor  the  use  to  which  this  Treatise  objects;  and  these 
two  definitions  are  neither  of  them  decisive.  WEBSTER'S 
Quarto  Dictionary  gives  seven  different  classes  of  definitions  ; 
and  but  one  of  them  favors  the  use  of  the  word  here  objected 
to.  Out  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  different  definitions,  but  two 
favor  the  application  of  the  term  to  those  living  at  the  same 
time,  and  but  one  is  really  decisive.  For  a  further  disserta- 
tion on  the  word  /svsa,  the  reader  will  please  consult  Note  Q, 
in  the  Appendix .* 

The  word  generation,  then,  so  far  from  embarrassing  this 
method  of  expounding  the  Lord's  prophecy,  is,  in  fact,  a  most 
important  auxiliary  in  harmonizing  and  elucidating  some  of 
the  parts  which  have  been  deemed  most  obscure.  The  pre- 
dicted gathering  of  the  elect,  and  the  long  continued  desola- 
tion, but  finally  implied  restoration,  of  Jerusalem,  and  the 
astonishing  preservation  of  that  most  unfortunate  and  yet  for- 
tunate people,  all  derive  light  from  the  prophecy  of  our  Lord, 
that  "  this  ysvsa  "  —  this  race  —  of  people  shall  not  pass  away 
until  all  these  things  be  fulfilled. 

Verse  35.    HEAVEN  AND  EARTH  SHALL  PASS  AWAY  ;  BUT  MY  WOBDS  SHALL  NOT  PASS 

AWAY. 

This  verse  and  the  preceding,  together  with  the  19th  verse 
of  Matt.,  are  remarkable  for  their  exact  similarity  in  all  three 
of  the  records.  This  may  be  accounted  for  in  part  by  the  re- 
markableness  of  the  predictions,  and  by  their  being  so  well 
adapted  to  affect  the  heart.  And  they  have  an  important  use 
in  the  discourse,  by  dividing  it  into  several  distinct  portions, 
so  that  it  is  the  more  easy  to  arrange  the  many  subjects  treated 
of  into  chronological  order. 

As  yet  we  have  not  found  a  single  instance  of  metaphorical 
language  in  the  prophecy ;  all  has  been  simple,  literal  prose. 
Neither  do  we  find  any  occasion  to  resort  to  the  common  meth- 

*  See  Note  Q,  in  the  Appendix 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

od  of  metaphorizing  this  verse  in  order  to  explain  it.  That  there 
shall  be  a  change  of  the  present  earth  and  heavens,  is  as  dis- 
tinctly taught  in  both  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New,  as 
that  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  in  the  beginning. 
The  evident  reason  for  the  introduction  of  the  subject  in  this 
connection,  was,  to  confirm  the  wonderful  prediction  that 
Christ  had  just  uttered.  After  describing  the  astonishing 
events  which  he  had  already  predicted,  respecting  the  over- 
throw and  captivity  of  the  Jews,  and  their  dispersion  into  ail 
nations,  while  their  temple  and  city  were  in  utter  desolation, 
and  under  the  foot  of  the  Gentiles  ;  after  describing  the  won- 
ders in  the  heavens,  on  the  earth,  and  in  the  sea ;  after  de- 
scribing his  own  advent  with  his  angels,  coming  in  the  clouds 
of  the  heavens ;  after  predicting  the  final  assembling  of  all  the 
elect,  —  and  then  affirming  that  that  conquered,  captivated, 
dispersed,  down-trodden  people  should  survive  the  whole,  it 
needed  some  strong  affirmation  to  assure  their  still  feeble  faith. 
This  assurance  was  given  in  the  words  of  the  text :  Heaven 
and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away. 
His  words  would  prove  more  reliable  than  the  foundations  of 
the  earth,  or  the  pillars  of  heaven.  Thus  far  everything  has 
transpired  just  as  he  has  predicted :  the  words  which  are  yet 
unfulfilled  shall  not  fail  to  be  accomplished.  Let  the  infidel 
tremble;  let  the  Christian — let  the  son  of  Jacob  —  rejoice. 

Verse  36.  BUT  OF  THAT  DAT  AND  HOUR  KNOWETH  NO  MAN,  NO,  NOT  THE  ANGELS 
OF  HEAVEN,  [Mark  :  NEITHER  THE  SON,]  BUT  MY  FATHER  ONLY. 

The  difficulty  of  ascertaining  the  time  when  the  great  day 
of  the  Lord  would  come,  would  even  prevent  the  angels  from 
knowing  it  for  a  time  at  least ;  although  they  will  not  proba- 
bly continue  in  ignorance  of  it  until  the  moment  of  their  com- 
ing with  the  Lord  ;  they  will  undoubtedly  receive  such  inti- 
mations and  instructions  as  will  guard  them  against  surprise 
when  the  command  is  given  for  all  the  heavenly  host  to  ac- 
company their  Lord  in  his  judgment  visit  to  the  earth.  But 
at  the  time  when  the  Saviour  gave  this  prophecy,  not  only 
were  the  angels  in  ignorance  of  the  time,  but  even  he  himself 
—  the  Son  did  not  know  it. 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

The  two-fold  nature  of  Christ  is  very  frequently  brought  to 
view  in  the  Scriptures  ;  he  was  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh." 
His  words  and  actions  were  God  manifest  through  the  flesh. 
And  all,  of  necessity,  were  modified  ty  the  flesh.  Sometimes 
he  appears  only  as  a  man,  professing  to  be  subject  to,  inferior 
to,  and  dependent  upon,  the  Father,  by  whom  he  was  com- 
missioned, sent,  instructed,  supported,  guided.  The  proper 
humanity  of  Christ  is  as  important  for  the  world  as  the  proper 
divinity  of  Christ.  As  man  —  real  man  —  the  Son  could  do 
nothing  of  himself;  the  Father  that  dwelt  in  him  did  the 
works.  As  man,  he  was  not  informed  of  the  time  of  his  own 
eecond  advent ;  for,  for  some  reason  which  we  may  not  be 
able  to  discover,  the  Father  exercised  the  control  over  the 
times  and  seasons.  Our  Saviour  sufficiently  indicated  this, 
when  he  replied  to  the  inquiries  of  the  apostles,  if  he  would 
at  that  time  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel :  "  It  is  not  for  you 
to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons  which  the  Father  has  put  in 
his  own  power :"  Acts  i.  7. 

"Wesley's  note  on  the  verse  before  us  is  sufficiently  plain  : 
"  Neither  the  Son  —  not  as  man  :  as  man  he  was  no  more  om- 
niscient than  omnipresent.  But  as  God,  he  knows  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  it." 

[Luke:    AND  TAKE  HEED  TO  YOURSELVES,]     [Mark :    WATCH  AND  PEAT,  FOE  YB 

KNOW  NOT  WHEN  THE  TIME   IS.] 

It  cannot  be  denied,  that  in  a  multitude  of  places,  the  judg- 
ment advent  of  the  Lord  is  so  represented  in  the  Scriptures, 
that  the  duty  of  watching  and  living  in  readiness  for  it,  is 
everywhere  commanded  or  encouraged.  So  evidently  did  St. 
Paul  speak  of  it  as  a  subject  of  expectation  and  present  con- 
cern, that  the  Thessalonians  needed  to  be  cautioned  against 
expecting  it  until  after  certain  other  events  had  occurred. 
There  are  very  many  references  to  the  coming  of  the  day  of 
God,  which  seem  to  have  been  calculated  to  impress  the  mind 
that  it  might  come  upon  them  unawares,  at  almost  any  mo- 
ment. Hence,  the  Saviour's  exhortation  to  take  heed,  to 
watch,  and  to  pray,  because  they  did  not  know  when  the 
would  be.  From  this  we  learn  three  things : 


400  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

(1.)  Character  of  the  event.  It  will  a  matter  of  solemn  and 
decisive  influence  upon  all.  The  guilty  are  to  look  for  it  with 
fearful  apprehension ;  the  righteous  with  joyful  anticipation. 
It  will  be  something  besides  the  gradual,  peaceful,  and  finally 
universal  extension  of  Christianity  abroad  in  the  earth.  This 
would  indeed  be  a  subject  of  gladness  to  the  Christian  ;  but 
why  the  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  its  occurrence  should  be  a 
reason  for  all  generations  of  Christians  to  live  in  watchfulness 
and  prayer,  is  beyond  the  power  of  any  man  to  explain.  And 
if  this  is  what  is  meant  by  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  who  can 
tell  why  it  should  be  a  subject  of  fearful  apprehension  to  the 
wicked  ?  No,  the  character  of  the  event  is  far  otherwise  :  it 
is  of  such  a  nature,  that  if  we  be  found  off  our  guard,  or  not 
watching  for  our  Lord,  he  will  come  upon  us  unawares,  and 
appoint  our  portion  with  hypocrites  and  unbelievers. 

(2.)  We  learn  likewise  the  character  of  the  coming :  It  will 
not  be  a  gradual  passing  away  of  night,  and  the  slow  dawn- 
ing of  millennial  day.  It  will  be  sudden,  and  to  many  un- 
looked  for,  and  unprepared  for.  Hence,  the  necessity  of 
unceasing  watchfulness,  because  we  know  not  when  the  time 
is.  And  the  coming  will  be  so  sudden,  that  there  will  be  no 
opportunity  to  prepare  for  it  after  the  event  begins.  So  that 
we  should  live  in  constant  readiness  for  it. 

(3.)  Finally,  we  learn  the  utter  absurdity  of  the  supposition, 
that  the  Lord  is  not  to  come  until  after  a  thousand  years  of 
uninterrupted  righteousness  and  peace.  For  with  what  pro- 
priety could  Christ  and  the  apostles  so  constantly  refer  to  this 
judgment-coming,  as  a  reason  for  unceasing  watchfulness, 
lest  it  overtake  them  unprepared?  With  what  propriety 
could  they  knowingly  and  intentionally  produce  the  abiding 
and  operative  impression,  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  might 
come  at  any  time  ;  and  thus  keep  the  church  in  all  ages  in  a 
degree  of  expectation  of  it,  if  they  knew  that  it  would  not, 
and  could  not  come  at  all,  until  there  had  first  been  a  millen- 
nium of  universal  peace  ? 

Christ  and  the  apostles  certainly  must  have  known  whether 
the  judgment-advent  was  pre-millennial  or  not.  And  if,  as  is 
generally  now  supposed,  the  second  coming  is  to  be  after  the 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  401 

millennium,  how  they  could  with  any  degree  of  propriety  speak 
of  it  as  if  it  were  liable  to  come  at  any  time  during  all  the  ages 
of  the  gospel  dispensation,  so  that  it  would  be  the  duty  of  all  to 
be  watching  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  and  watching  and  pray- 
ing to  be  kept  in  readiness  for  that  day ; — how  they  could  by 
parables,  admonitions,  warnings,  and  encouragements,  de- 
signedly influence  the  church  to  be  impressed  with  the  con- 
viction that  the  day  of  the  Lord  might  come  upon  them  even 
during  the  present  life  in  a  world  of  sin,  is  more  than  any  man 
can  explain  so  as  to  satisfy  a  rational  mind. 

It  is  just  as  certain  as  language  can  make  it,  that  the  com- 
ing of  that  day  is  always  represented  in  a  way  that  is  calcu- 
lated to  leave  the  impression  on  the  mind,  that  it  may  come 
now.  And  it  is  never  described  in  a  way  that  is  calculated  to 
produce  the  impression,  that  it  will  be  preceded  by  a  millen- 
nium of  peace ;  or,  in  a  way  that  is  calculated  to  produce  the 
impression,  that  all  who  live  previously  to  the  millennium,  or 
during  the  millennium,  need  not  be  watching  and  prepar- 
ing for  it. 

How  can  those  who  believe  that  the  second  advent  will  be 
post-millennial  explain  these  things,  so  as  to  leave  to  the  Lord 
and  his  apostles  an  appearance  of  common  honesty  ?  It  has 
never  yet  been  done.  Can  the  man  be  found  to  undertake  it  ? 
The  theory  maintained  in  this  Treatise  is  wholly  free  from 
this  embarrassment. 

(1.)  It  represents  Christ  not  as  addressing  himself  exclu- 
sively to  either  the  Jews  or  the  Christians  of  that  age,  any 
more  than  he  did  to  the  apostles,  in  giving  the  original  com- 
mission to  disciple  the  nations.  He  addressed  the  Jews  as  a 
/svsoJ,  and  the  Christians  as  a  /svsa,  that  would  continue  to  the 
end  of  the  world.  And  when  he  exhorted  them  to  watch 
and  pray,  in  view  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  time,  he  intended 
that  the  exhortations  should  be  appropriate  while  the  world 
continued  ;  as  he  himself  distinctly  proclaimed,  "  What  I  say 
unto  you,  I  say  unto  all,  watch." 

(2.)  Christ  himself,  and  the  prophets  and  apostles,  always 
represented  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  would  come  suddenly, 
and,  to  the  world  in  general,  unexpectedly.  It  was  not  to  be 


402  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

preceded  by  such  alarms  and  tokens  as  would  call  the  world's 
attention  to  it,  and  arouse  the  careless.  It  was  not  to  be 
ushered  in  by  a  thousand  years  of  universal  peace,  at  the 
close  of  which  they  might  begin  to  expect  the  judgment. 
It  was  predicted  to  come  upon  a  wicked  world  as  a  thief  in 
the  night ;  as  travail  upon  a  woman  with  child  ;  as  the  Hood 
upon  the  old  world  ;  as  the  fiery  deluge  upon  Sodom. 

(3.)  Christ  has  distinctly  affirmed  that  it  will  come  "  imme- 
diately after  the  tribulation  of  those  days"  which  was  to  be 
limited  by  the  times  of  the  Gentiles.  But  when  the  chain  of 
special  favor  to  the  Gentiles  shall  reach  its  last  unseen  link 
of  extension,  God  has  not  seen  fit  to  reveal,  and  man  has  no 
power  to  discover.  But,  without  any  extraordinary  event  to 
mark  its  termination  ;  the  limit  being  not  a  limit  of  occurren- 
ces, but  a  fullness  of  times ;  then,  "  the  set  time  to  favor 
Zion"  having  come ;  the  days  of  Israel's  desolation  ended ; 
then,  "  immediately  after"  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,  and 
the  moon  shall  withhold  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  with- 
draw their  shining.  And  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  heaven. 

Thus  will  the  day  of  the  Lord  —  including  the  events  that 
precede  and  attend  his  coming — be  sudden,  unexpected,  and 
terrible  to  those  who  are  not  living  in  readiness  for  it.  It 
appears — not  only  from  the  fact  that  the  gathering  of  the 
elect  will  follow  this  coming— but  from  several  other  portions 
of  the  Scripture,  that  only  a  part — perhaps  but  a  small  part 
of  the  Jews,  will  be  gathered  in  Palestine  previous  to  the 
Lord's  coming ;  and  —  excepting  the  gathering  of  their  ene- 
mies to  prevent  their  settlement — there  does  not  appear  to 
be  any  especial  event  pointed  out  in  Scripture  as  a  sign  that 
the  Lord  is  about  to  come.  And  this  gathering  of  the  na- 
tions will  be  so  much  like  other  similar  invasions,  and  have 
so  little  apparent  connections  with  the  second  advent  of 
Christ,  that  even  when  it  is  seen,  probably  not  one  in  a  hun- 
dred will  be  ready  to  believe  it  is  to  be  the  last  great  event 
before  the  darkening  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  They  will 
treat  it  just  as  you,  reader,  may  be  even  at  this  moment 
treating  this  reference  to  the  subject — with  scoffing  or  i 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  403 

ference,  as  the  ravings  of  a  maniac,  or  the  babblings  of  a  fool. 
And  so  the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  snare  upon  all 
them  that  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

(4.)  When  to  all  this  is  added,  that  the  Father  has  never 
seen  fit  to  reveal  how  long  the  time  of  favor  shall  be  extended 
to  the  Gentiles — whether  it  shall  be  for  a  still  longer  period,  or 
a  short  one ;  and  also  that  the  Scriptures  nowhere  certify  that 
the  gospel  shall  conquer  the  world  previous  to  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  ;  but  that  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  may  close  with 
as  little  warning  as  the  cup  of  iniquity  was  filled  by  the  Jews, 
previously  to  their  doom  being  fixed  by  the  invasion  of  the 
Romans  ; — when  we  keep  in  mind  that  the  end  of  the  world 
is  to  come  while  the  wheat  and  the  tares  are  growing  together 
in  the  field,  and  God  has  never  yet  informed  us  of  the  times 
and  seasons  so  that  we  may  calculate  when  he  shall  say  to  the 
angels,  Thrust  in  the  sickle,  for  the  harvest  of  the  earth  is 
ripe  ; — when  we  consider — just  as  Christ  says  —  that  we  can 
know  neither  the  day  nor  the  hour  when  he  shall  come,  we 
cannot  fail  to  see  the  reasonableness  of  continual  watching 
throughout  all  the  successive  ages  of  Christian  times.  And 
there  was  a  particular  reason  why  we  should  be  continually 
admonished,  which  cannot  apply  to  the  theory  of  the  post- 
millennial  advent,  which  professes  that  hundreds,  and  perhaps 
thousands  of  years,  must  intervene  before  the  judgment-com- 
ing ;  for  the  true  theory  professes  no  such  thing.  And  the 
only  event  which  is  given  to  indicate  the  nearness  of  the  day, 
may  transpire  as  unexpectedly  and  suddenly  as  similar  events 
in  almost  all  ages  of  the  world.  But  it  is  no  where  taught  in 
the  Scriptures  that  none  shall  see  evidences  of  his  coming, 
when  the  day  draws  near.  Those  who  are  searching  the 
Scriptures  —  (but,  alas  !  they  are  few — very  few) — to  know 
what  the  Lord  has  given  as  an  indication  of  his  near  approach, 
will,  of  course,  not  fail  to  see  the  fig-tree  putteth  forth  leaves, 
to  indicate  that  summer  is  nigh.  And  perhaps  this  very 
beginning  on  the  part  of  the  Jews  to  establish  themselves,  and 
this  very  token  of  the  ending  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles, 
will  be  the  first  among  the  preceding  signs.  And  when  it  is 


4:04  HABAIONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

followed  by  the  gathering  of  the  nations  against  them,  we 
shall  know  that  it  is  nigh,  even  at  the  doors. 

[Luke :  LEST  AT  ANY  TIME  YOUR  HEARTS  BE  OVERCHARGED  WITH  SURFEITING  AND 

DRUNKENNESS,  AND  CARES  OF  THIS  LIFE,  AND  SO  THAT  DAY  COME  UPON  YOU  UNAWARES.] 

Gluttony  has  a  debasing,  stupifying  effect,  rendering  the 
person  gross,  heavy,  sensual.  Such  a  one  is  almost  totally  in- 
capacitated for  refined,  elevating,  spiritual  enjoyments  and 
contemplations.  His  anxieties  and  affections  have  almost 
exclusive  reference  to  the  things  that  are  of  the  earth,  earthy. 
This  world  is  his  possession ;  this  world  his  home,  his  hope. 
The  glutton  cannot  be  expected  to  look  away  from  the  things 
that  are  seen  and  temporal,  and  desire  with  spiritual  longings 
the  things  which  are  unseen  and  eternal.  His  carefulness  will 
not  be  to  stand  with  his  loins  girt  about  with  righteousness, 
waiting  for  the  return  of  his  Lord ;  his  principal  solicitude 
will  be,  What  shall  I  eat  ?  what  shall  I  drink  ?  Gluttony, 
with  its  two  results,  grossness  and  heaviness,  will  be  the  horse- 
leech in  his  soul,  with  its  two  daughters,  crying  to  this  world, 
Give,  Give.  Such  a  one  will  be  earthly  minded,  sensual, 
loving  this  present  evil  world,  and  in  no  proper  sense  living 
a  life  of  self-denial,  and  crucifixion  of  the  flesh  with  its  lusts. 
He  is  neither  now  ready  to  see  his  Lord,  nor  getting  ready  ; 
nor  will  he  be  in  a  suitable  frame  to  receive  admonition  from 
the  comparatively  unimportant,  and  apparently  irrelevant 
events  that  to  the  believing,  and  the  watchful,  will  indicate 
the  sudden  approach  of  the  day,  as  the  fig-leaf  indicates  that 
summer  is  nigh. 

Beveling  at  his  feast,  like  Belshazzar,  or  lazily  dozing  and 
dreaming  away  the  heaviness  of  a  recent  overcharge  of  sur- 
feiting, the  sluggard,  with  his  eyes  half  opened,  and  almost 
unimpressible  to  anything  but  the  savory  indications  of  an- 
other feast,  will  cry,  "  A  little  more  sleep,  a  little  more  slum- 
ber, a  little  more  folding  of  the  hands  to  sleep."  Thus,  eat- 
ing, and  drinking,  in  the  intense  import  of  the  terms ;  or, 
drowsing  between  the  successive  festivals ;  or,  throwing  off 
with  unspiritual  hilarity  his  exuberance  of  fat,  he  will  be  in 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  405 

any  but  the  proper  frame  of  sobriety  and  watchfulness  in  the 
expectation  of  his  Lord. 

"  And  drunkenness  "  is,  if  possible,  still  worse  than  the  for- 
mer. No  drunkard  hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him,  for  he  is 
a  self-murderer ;  and  he  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Reeling,  or  raving,  blaspheming,  or  sleeping,  under 
the  effects  of  his  self-murdering  potions ;  or,  linked  in  the 
entangling  chain-work  of  bacchanalian  association  and  revelry ; 
or,  hardened  and  maddened  against  God  and  goodness,  how 
can  he  be  either  looking  for  the  Lord,  or  watching  the  slight 
premonitions  of  his  sudden  coming  ?  And  yet  all  Christians  — • 
Christians  in  all  ages  —  are  liable  to  be  overcome  with  these 
easily  besetting,  these  carnally  pleasing,  these,  alas!  too 
common,  too  fashionable,  and  yet  ruinous,  customs  of  civilized 
as  well  as  barbarous  societies. 

"  And  cares  of  this  life."  Oh,  how  many  DEMASES  there 
are  in  the  church,  even,  who  turn  away  from  the  faith  of  the 
gospel,  and  make  a  god  of  this  world !  Taking  thought  for 
the  morrow,*  and  having  but  little  heed  for  the  kingdom  of 
God,  but  anxiously  inquiring,  "What  shall  we  eat,  what  shall 
we  drink,  and  wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed,  they  cannot 
find  time  to  attend  to  the  things  of  the  kingdom  ;  f  and,  alas ! 
alas !  the  prophecies  of  our  Lord  and  his  servants  have  been 
so  generally,  and  so  (to  many)  hopelessly  confused  and  con- 
founded, that  the  man  of  this  world ,  whether  in  the  church, 
or  out  of  it,  despairs  of  ever  being  able  to  comprehend  what 
he  thinks  perhaps  might  have  been  originally  intended  in 
some  measure  to  instruct  and  admonish  the  common  mind  in 
respect  to  these  now  inexplicable  teachings  of  what  appears 
to  him  to  be  the  most  inexplicable  of  books.  Excusing  him- 
self, then,  from  want  of  capacity  to  digest  the  milk  of  the 
word,  his  business  and  ambitious  leadings  are  all  earthward ; 
and  with  perpetual  lookings  and  bendings  downward,  he  has 
hardly  strength  or  inclination  to  look  heavenward.  Even 
when  these  signs  "  begin  to  come  to  pass,"  he  will  be  hardly 

*  The  word  thought  formerly  meant  about  what  is  now  expressed  by  the 
word  anxiety. 
\  See  Matt.  vi.  81-34 


406  HARMONY  AND   EXPOSITION. 

able  to  lift  up  his  head,  and  look  up,  in  expectation  that  his 
redemption  is  drawing  nigh. 

Perhaps  he  has  not  even  a  distinct  impression,  or  any  well 
digested  conviction,  with  respect  to  the  fact  or  nature  of  the 
great  day  of  the  Lord.  Perhaps  he  is  still  looking  for  an 
universal  spread  of  purity  and  peace  before  the  Lord's  com- 
ing ;  and  cannot,  of  course,  be  impressed  with  the  necessity 
of  living  in  readiness  to  meet  his  Master  at  his  corning  to 
reckon  with  his  servants.  So  he  suffers  himself  to  be  over- 
charged with  the  cares  of  this  life  ;  the  thorns  spring  up  and 
choke  the  good  seed,  and  it  becomes  unfruitful.  He,  too, 
with  the  drunkard  and  the  glutton,  will  be  unready  for  the 
return  of  his  Lord ;  "  and  so  that  day  will  come  upon  him 


[Luke :  FOR  AS  A  SNARE  SHALL  IT  COME  UPON  ALL  THEM  THAT  DWELL  UPON  THK 

FACE  OF  THE  WHOLE  EARTH.] 

It  (the  day)  shall  come  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
everywhere  suddenly,  and  unexpectedly,  as  a  snare  is  sprung 
suddenly  and  unexpectedly  upon  the  unsuspecting  game  that 
the  hunter  thus  successfully  entraps.  Infidels  will  not  expect 
it,  for  they  deny  the  prophecy.  Unwersalists  will  not  expect 
it,  for  they  misinterpret  the  prophecy.  Heathen  will  not 
3Xpect  it,  for  they  do  not  know  the  prophecy.  Romanists  will 
not  expect  it,  for  they  will  be  still  looking  for  the  downfall 
of  Protestantism,  by  gradual  conquest.  Protestants  will  not 
generally  expect  it,  for  they  will  be  looking  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  A.ntichrist,  not  by  &  personal,  but  by  a  spiritual  com- 
ing, to  destroy  the  Man  of  Sin,  not  by  judgment  fires,  but  by 
gospel  light. 

And  so,  after  all  the  Lord  has  said,  either  by  a  downright 
infidelity,  or  by  a  ruinous  delusion ;  either  by  not  knowing 
the  word  of  prophecy,  or  by  misunderstanding  it ;  either  by 
gluttony,  or  drunkenness,  or  by  both  together;  either  by 
earthly  carefulness,  or  covetousness,  or  by  both  together ;  in 
some  way,  by  some  effectual  means  of  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  the  ruler  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  the 
prophecies  will  be  so  unknown,  so  disbelieved,  so  misinter- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  407 

preted  or  misapplied,  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a 
thief  in  the  night,  as  a  snare  upon  all  them  that  dwell  upon 
the  face  of  the  wJwle  earth.  The  Lord  have  mercy  upon  an 
infidel  or  heathen  world!  The  Lord  have  mercy  upon  a 
worldly  or  slumbering  church !  * 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Principal  subject — PREPARATION  TO  MEET  THE  SON  OF  MAN  AT 

HIS  COMING. 

Ultimate  Reason  —  The  World  before  the  Flood  —  Application  —  A  time  of 
general  Separation  —  Illustrations  —  Two  Men  in  the  Field — Two  Women 
at  the  Mill  —  Renewed  Admonition  —  Illustration  of  the  Unguarded  House 
— Application  —  Illustration  of  the  Master  on  a  Journey  —  Duties  of  the 
Servants — The  Porter — Application — A  Model  Servant — The  Unan- 
swered Question — The  Happy  Servant — The  Servant  Exalted — The  Evil 
Servant — His  Belief  and  Conduct — The  Reason  —  Application — The  Un- 
expected Return  —  Reason  —  Result — Importance  of  Right  Views — The 
Terrible  Doom — The  Cause — The  Contrast  —  Renewed  Admonition  —  The 
Final  Charge  — The  25th  Chap,  of  Matthew— Its  relation  to  the  24th  — 
Design  of  the  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins — Parable  of  the  Talents  —  Why 
the  Description  of  the  Judgment  was  deferred  to  the  close  of  the  Discourse 
—  Conclusion. 

[Luke :  WATCH  YE,   THEREFORE,  AND  PRAT  ALWAYS,  THAT  YE  MAY  BE  ACCOUNTED 

WORTHY  TO  ESCAPE  ALL  THESE  THINGS  THAT  SHALL  COME  TO  PASS,  AND  TO  STAND  BEFORB 
THE  SON  OF  MAN.] 

THE  Lord  had  previously  admonished  his  disciples  to  the 
same  import.  But  having  for  a  moment  left  the  thread  of  his 
exhortation,  for  the  purpose  of  adding  a  fact  that  was  well 
calculated  to  deepen  the  impression  which  he  desired  to  pro- 
duce, he  now  resumes  his  exhortation  to  watchfulness  and 
prayer.  But  at  this  point  he  assigns  the  ultimate  object  of 

*  See  Note  R.,  in  the  Appendix. 


408  HAJiMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

faithfulness  :  that  we  may  be  accounted  worthy  to  escape  the 
predicted  evils,  and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man.  Here 
several  things  should  impress  us : 

1.  That  watchfulness  and  prayer  are  indispensable  to  a  full 
preparation  for  the  day  of  the  Lord.     A  spirit  of  devotion  and 
sobriety,  carried  into  appropriate  practice,  is  the  great  essen- 
tial in  our  present  duty.    And  this  should  be  secured  in  view 
of  the  fact,  that  we  are  all  hastening  to  meet  the  day  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

2.  It  is  only  in  this  way  that  we  can  escape  the  calamities 
which,  at  the  coming  of  Christ,  shall  be  visited  upon  the  un- 
prepared.    What  these  will  be,  the  Scriptures  have  sufficient- 
ly revealed.     The  previous  predictions  of  Christ,   and  the 
parables  following,  set  forth  these  calamities  in  a  manner 
which  would  almost  shake  the  world,  if  they  had  not  been  so 
generally  Jerusalemized  away,  that  they  are  read  with  little 
or  no  impression  that  they  are  intended  for  us,  as  well  as  for 
the  ancients  ;  that  our  destiny  is  to  be  thus  affected  and  de- 
termined.    Who  can  calculate  the  tremendous  consequences 
of  stripping  this  portion  of  the  divine  word  of  all  its  direct, 
literal,  and  intended  bearing  upon  the  millions  who  are  has- 
tening to  meet  the  great  day,  with  almost  no  conception  of 
its  nature  and  reality  ? 

3.  It  is  by  obedience  to  these  directions  that  we  may  ex- 
pect, through  grace,  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man.     "  The 
ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment,  nor  sinners  in  the 
congregation  of  the  righteous."     They  shall  be  "  punished 
with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  from  the  glory  of  his  power,  when  he  shall  come  to  be 
glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  be- 
lieve in  that  day."  *    This  will  be  the  portion  of  the  wicked ; 
and  they  will  not  "love  his  appearing."    But  the  righteous 
shall  "  stand  in  the  day  of  Judgment : "  they  shall  receive  "  a 
crown  of  righteousness  "  at  "  that  day."     2  Tim.  iv.  8.     Then 
the  pious  dead  "  shall  behold  his  face  in  righteousness  :"  they 
"  shall  be  satisfied  when  "  they  "  awake  in  his  likeness."    For 

*  2  Thess.  i.  9,  10,  leaving  out  the  parenthesis. 


EARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  409 

in  his  presence  is  fullness  of  joy ;  and  at  his  right  hand  are 
pleasures  for  evermore.  "  Wherefore,  beloved,  seeing  ye  look 
for  such  things,  be  diligent,  that  ye  may  be  found  of  him  in 
peace,  without  spot  and  blameless."  It  is  esteemed  a  great 
privilege  to  stand  before  kings ;  but  it  will  be  a  still  greater 
to  "  stand  before  the  Son  of  man."  For  when  he  cometh,  he 
will  come  as  "  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords." 

Verse  37.  Bur  AS  THE  DATS  OF  NOE  WERE,  so  SHALL  ALSO  THE  COMING  OF  THE  SON 

OF  MAN  BE.  38.  FOR  AS  IN  THOSE  DAYS  THAT  WERE  BEFORE  THE  FLOOD,  THEY  WERE 
EATING  AND  DRINKING,  MARRYING  AND  GIVING  IN  MARRIAGE,  UNTIL  THE  DAY  THAT  N"OE 
ENTERED  INTO  THE  ARK  ;  39.  AND  KNEW  NOT  UNTIL  THE  FLOOD  CAME  AND  TOOK  THEM 
ALL  AWAY  J  SO  SHALL  ALSO  THE  COMING  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  BE. 

Terrible  history  !  Terrible  prediction  !  But  the  prophecy 
will  prove  to  be  as  true  as  the  history.  The  world  had  been 
duly  warned  of  the  threatened  deluge  ;  but  they  heeded  it 
not.  They  continued  to  live  as  they  had  lived ;  contracting 
marriages,  celebrating  marriages,  giving  and  enjoying  festiv- 
ities, until  the  day  that  Noe  entered  into  the  ark.  These  things 
are  not  mentioned  by  the  Saviour,  on  account  of  their  being 
necessarily  wrong ;  but  to  show  how  little  the  doomed  world 
heeded  the  warnings  of  "  the  preacher  of  righteousness,"  or 
anticipated  so  sad,  so  sudden  and  terrible  a  catastrophe  as  was 
long  impending  over  them.  The  reason  was,  they  knew  not 
what  was  about  to  burst  upon  them,  and  forever  terminate 
their  plans  and  pleasures.  The  treasured  up  wrath  that  was 
to  drown  a  teeming  world  gave  no  outward  indications  of 
either  its  nearness  or  severity.  For  aught  that  appears  to  the 
contrary,  the  sun  that  morning  rose  as  smilingly,  the  winds 
breathed  as  refreshingly,  the  waters  flowed  as  peacefully,  the 
birds  sung  as  cheerily,  the  dance  led  forth  as  merrily,  as  ever 
since  the  birth-day  of  sin.  There  were  happy  bridegrooms 
and  brides ;  there  were  proud  fathers  and  mothers ;  there 
were  rejoicing  sisters  and  brothers  ;  there  were  admiring  lov- 
ers ;  there  were  jealous  rivals  ;  there  were  lords  in  state,  and 
servants  in  waiting;  there  were  rich,  counting  over  their 
treasures  ;  there  were  thieves,  intent  on  robbing ;  there  were 
lecherous,  in  search  of  victims.  In  a  word,  a  world  in  wick- 


HAEMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

edness ;  warned,  but  heedless ;  doomed,  but  reckless ;  rushing 
on  to  meet  its  ruin. 

So  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be.  No  alarm- 
ing premonitions  will  arouse  the  worldly  church,  or  the  wick- 
ed world.  The  day  of  God  will  come  upon  the  unexpecting 
world,  as  a  snare  upon  the  unwary  game,  that  knows  not  its 
danger  until  it  is  too  late  to  escape. 

Therefore  the  wisdom  of  living  always  in  readiness  to  meet 
the  Lord,  lest  that  day  overtake  us  as  a  thief ;  "  Lest,  coming 
suddenly,  he  find  us  sleeping"  "  Wherefore,  gird  up  the 
loins  of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  unto  the  end,  for  the 
grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Je- 
sus Christ."  1  Pet.  i.  13. 

Verse  40.  THEN  SHALL  TWO  BE  IN  THE  FIELD;  THE  ONE  SHALL  BE  TAKEN  AND  THE 

OTHER  LEFT.  41.  TWO  WOMEN  SHALL  BE  GRINDING  AT  THE  MILL  J  THE  ONE  BHALt 
BE  TAKEN,  AND  THE  OTHER  LEFT. 

It  is  utterly  impossible  for  any  man  to  show  a  single  fact, 
or  a  single  reason,  for  applying  this  to  the  Jewish  war.  Nei- 
ther the  connections  of  the  passage,  nor  its  teachings  ;  neither 
the  Jewish  historian,  nor  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  can 
be  legitimately  used  for  that  purpose.  Besides,  this  is  not 
intended  for  a  few  instances,  merely ;  but  such  will  be  the 
general  result.  It  will  be  a  time  of  general  separation  be- 
tween the  most  intimate  associates,  who  are  of  different  char- 
acters. Lodging  in  the  same  bed,  or  working  at  the  same 
mill,  will  not  prevent  the  final  separation  of  the  good  from 
the  bad. 

The  good  fishes  and  the  bad  fishes,  the  wheat  and  the  tares, 
shall  be  separated  at  the  end  of  the  world,  when  the  Son  of 
man  shall  come  with  all  his  holy  angels.  (Matt,  xiii.)  In  the 
Roman  war,  where  two  were  thus  associated,  one  indeed 
might  escape,  and  the  other  be  taken.  But,  certainly,  in  such 
a  war  as  that,  they  would  not  take  one,  and  leave  another. 

But  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  he  will  separate  the  evil  from  the  good,  as  a  shepherd 
divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats.  No  difficulty  can  impede 
the  work  of  severing  the  wicked  from  among  the  just;  for 


HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION.  4:11 

the  eye  of  Omniscience  cannot  be  deceived  by  any  outward 
show  or  pretence. 

Verse  42.  WATCH,  THEREFORE,  FOR  YE  KNOW  NOT  WHAT  HOUR  YOUR  LORD  DOTH 
OOME. 

The  evident  design  of  all  this  part  of  the  Lord's  discourse, 
is  to  incite  his  people  to  be  always  in  readiness  for  the  coming 
of  the  great  day.  Hence,  in  various  ways,  he  labors  to  deep- 
en the  impression  he  would  make,  returning  always,  after  ev- 
ery illustration,  or  additional  prediction,  to  the  same  leading 
theme  of  watchfulness,  that  we  may  be  in  readiness.  Is  this 
the  present  impression  of  the  church  ?  Is  this  its  present  po- 
sition? If  the  Lord  should  come  suddenly,  as  a  thief  in  the 
night,  would  he  find  us  prepared  for  it  ? 

Verse  43.  BUT  KNOW  THIS,  THAT  IF  THE  GOOD  MAN  OF  THE  HOUSE  HAD  KNOWN  m 

WHAT  WATCH    THE     THIEF  WOULD  COME,  HE  WOULD  HAVE  WATCHED,  AND    WOULD     NOT 
HAVE  SUFFERED    HIS  HOUSE  TO  BE  BROKEN  UP. 

But,  alas !  instead  of  being  alwags  guarded,  and  always 
watchful,  in  an  hour  when  he  was  not  expecting  it,  the  thief 
came  upon  him,  and  his  house  was  broken  up.  He  was  ruined 
because  he  was  off  his  guard.  The  very  uncertainty  of  the 
time  of  the  thief's  coming  should  have  kept  him  in  constant 
readiness. 

Verse  44.  THEREFORE,  BE  YE  ALSO  READY,  FOR  IN  SUCH  AN  HOUR  AS  YE  THINK  NOT, 

THE  SON  OF  MAN  COMETH. 

Do  as  the  poor  man,  after  he  is  robbed,  is  convinced  he 
should  have  done.  Let  the  uncertainty  of  my  coming  serve 
to  keep  you  in  constant  readiness. 

[Mark :     FOR  THE  SON  OF  MAN  is  AS  A  MAN  TAKING  A  FAR  JOURNEY,  WHO  LEFT  HIS 

HOUSE,  AND   GAVE    AUTHORITY    TO   HIS   SERVANTS,  AND   TO    EVERY  MAN  HIS  WORK,    AND 
COMMANDED  THE  PORTER  TO  WATCH.] 

For  a  season  the  Lord  intends  to  be  absent  from  the  world : 
he  leaves  his  church,  but  he  leaves  it  in  the  hands  of  his  ser- 
vants. Each  one  has  his  appropriate  authority,  place,  and 
work.  The  porter  has  charge  of  the  gate  ;  the  steward  has 
charge  of  the  provisions  and  treasures ;  others  have  authority 


412  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

and  work  in  some  other  department.  All  are  under  obliga- 
tion ;  all  are  responsible ;  all  are  expected  to  be  faithful. 
But  the  porter  receives  a  special  command  to  watch.  The 
Master  intends  to  return  /  but  when,  he  does  not  see  fit  to  re- 
veal. Perhaps  he  does  not  at  that  time  knmv.  But  return 
he  will,  at  the  appropriate  time.  Therefore  Ie1t  the  porter 
keep  a  constant  watch,  that  he  may  be  prepared  to  receive 
him  at  any  moment,  either  by  day,  or  by  night. 

Verse  45.     WHO  THEN  is  A  FAITHFUL  AND  WISE  SERVANT,  WHOM  HIS  LORD  HATH 

MADE  RULER  OVER  HIS  HOUSEHOLD,  TO  GIVE   THEM   MEAT  IN  DUE  SEASON  ? 

Let  each  ask  himself.  "Who  has  anything  to  do  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  church,  or  in  the  duty  of  feeding  it  with  ap- 
propriate food,  at  appropriate  seasons?  Certainly  the  minis- 
ter must  apply  this  to  himself.  He  is  the  bishop  to  govern  ; 
and  the  shepherd  to  feed.  Is  he  then  a,  faithful  and  wise  ser- 
vant ?  Is  he  faithful  ?  Does  he  conscientiously  act  in  view  of 
all  his  responsibilities  ?  Does  he  keep  in  lively  remembrance 
that  his  Lord  will  not  only  return ;  but  that  he  may  return  at 
the  moment  when  he  is  least  expected  ?  Is  he  faithful  in  in- 
structing, admonishing,  encouraging?  Does  he  act  as  in  the 
sight  of  his  absent  Master  ?  Is  he  a  wise  servant  ?  Does  he 
understand  his  duty?  Does  he  know  how  to  perform  it? 
Does  he  know  when  and  how  to  give  food  to  the  household 
under  his  stewardship  ?  Does  he  inform  himself  of  the  nature 
and  design  of  his  Master's  departure  and  return  f  Does  he 
act  wisely  in  his  wish  and  labor  to  secure  his  Master's  com- 
mendation ? 

These  are  questions  for  each  one  to  answer  for  himself. 
The  Lord  does  not  answer  them  ;  he  simply  proposes  them. 
How  stands  the  matter,  reader  ?  These  are  things  to  be  duly 
considered. 

Verse  46.     BLESSED  is  THAT  SERVANT  WHOM  HIS  LORD,  WHEN  HE  COMETH,  SHALL 

FIND  SO  DOING. 

Yea,  blessed  indeed ;  for  his  Lord  cometh  quickly,  and  his 
reward  is  with  him.  To  be  found  of  him  in  peace  at  his  com- 
ing, will  insure  everlasting  happiness.  Faithfulness  and  hap- 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION.  413 

piness  will  be  as  inseparably  connected,  as  negligence  and 
wretchedness.  When  the  Master  returneth  may  he  find  us  so 
doing ! 

Verse  47.  VERILY  I  SAY  UNTO  YOU,  THAT  HE  SHALL  MAKE  HIM  RULER  OVERALL  HIS 
GOODS. 

Those  who  improve  their  talents  shall  have  additional  ones 
given  them,  when  the  time  of  reckoning  comes.  Those  who 
suffer  with  Christ  shall  finally  reign  with  him.  Those  who 
are  faithful  in  few  things  shall  be  made  ruler  over  many 
things.  The  Master  intends  fully  to  reward  his  faithful  ser- 
vants ;  and  if  he  exalts  them  to  palaces  and  thrones,  he  has  a 
right  to  do  so ;  for  he  has  a  right  to  do  what  he  pleases  with 
his  own.  Be  encouraged,  then,  ye,  faithful  and  wise  servants, 
for  the  Master  will  soon  return,  and  Hess  you  in  your  labors 
to  please  him. 

Verse  48.     Bur  AND  IF  THAT  EVIL  SERVANT  SHALL  SAY  IN  HIS  HEART,  MY  LORD 

DELAYETH  HIS  COMING  J  49.  AND  SHALL  BEGIN  TO  SMITE  HIS  FELLOW-SERVANTS,  AND 
TO  EAT  AND  DRINK  WITH  THE  DRUNKEN. 

No  one  will  be  as  likely  to  say  openly,  My  Lord  delayeth 
his  coming ;  the  evil  servant  will  say  it  in  his  heart.  Learn, 
hence,  a  distinguishing  trait  in  the  character  of  an  evil  ser- 
vant :  there  is  so  little  evidence  that  the  Lord  will  delay  his 
coming ;  or,  rather,  as  there  is  no  evidence,  he  will  not  choose 
to  say  so  openly,  lest  he  be  reproved.  But  still  he  is  an  un- 
believer in  the  nearness  of  the  time :  *  he  says,  in  his  heart, 
My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming.  Learn,  also,  that  it  will  not 
be  infidels,  only,  who  will  be  taken  unawares :  this  evil  ser- 
vant did  not  scoff,  and  say,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his 
coming  ? 

He  was  a  believer,  perhaps  &jlrm  believer,  in  his  lord's  re- 
turn. He  did  not,  in  respect  to  the  great  fact  of  his  lord's 
coming,  differ  essentially  from  the  good  servants  :  he  disagreed 
with  them  only  on  one  point :  the  good  servant  said  —  said 
openly — My  lord  is  coming,  is  coming  soon  :  he  may  come 

*  Our  Lord  evidently  has  reference  in  this  part  of  his  discourse  to  the  state 
of  things  that  will  immediately  precede  his  advent  See  verses  37-89. 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

immediately.    The  evil  servant  said,  said  in  his  hearty  My 
lord  delayeth  his  coming. 

Learn,  also,  the  natural  tendency  of  this  saying  in  one's 
heart,  My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming.  (1.)  He  will  begin  to 
smite  his  fellow  servants.  He  will  be  apt  to  become  a  tyrant, 
in  his  Master's  house.  He  will  be  likely  to  have  ill  feelings 
towards  his  brethren,  and  he  will  be  apt  to  act  them  out ;  he 
will  smite  his  fellow  servants.* 

Our  Lord  must  have  meant  something  in  all  this ;  and  ho 
undoubtedly  meant  to  describe  the  facts  and  tendencies  that 
will  characterise  the  times  which  immediately  precede  his 
advent.  Would  there  be  so  much  discord  and  bitterness 
among  brethren  ?  Would  there  be  so  much  impatience  of 
contradiction,  and  so  much  disposition  to  personal  revenge, 
if  we  believed  the  Judge  was  at  the  door,  to  punish  and  to  re- 
ward I  How  appropriate  the  apostle's  advice  !  "  Therefore, 
judge  nothing  before  the  time,  until  the  Lord  come,  who  will 
bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will  make 
manifest  the  counsels  of  the  hearts  ;  and  then  shall  every  man 
have  praise  of  God."  1  Cor.  4,  5.  Would  there  be  so  much 
oppression,  either  in,  or  out  of  the  church ;  in  either  estab- 
lished or  dissenting  churches,  if,  conceptually,  we  beheld  the 
Lord  at  hand  ? 

There  is  a  great  deal  implied  in  the  evil  servant's  smiting 
his  fellow  servants,  under  the  impression  that  his  lord  delayed 
his  return. 

Another  tendency  of  this  conviction  is,  (2.)  luxury  and 
dissipation.  He  will  be  likely  to  eat  and  drink  with  the 
drunken.  All  the  designed  tendencies  of  the  uncertainty  of 
his  Lord's  return,  are  lost  upon  this  evil  servant ;  and,  self- 
persuaded  that  his  Master  is  not  at  hand  ;  saying  it  to  him- 
self, as  he  practices  his  wickedness,  he  gives  himself  up  to 
feasting  and  carousal.  Had  he  supposed  his  Master  was  at 
hand,  he  would  have  acted  very  differently  ;  but,  under  the 
influence  of  his  belief,  he  conducts  as  he  is  represented. 
Would  there  be  as  much  luxury  in  the  church  ?  Would  there 

*  The  reader  must  judge  for  himself  whether  the  inferences  are  warranted 
by  the  Lord's  illustration.  There  is  no  design  to  " 


HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION.  415 

be  as  much  dissipation  and  levity  ?  "Would  it  be  so  hard  to 
collect  a  few  shillings  from  our  fashionable  or  covetous  Chris- 
tians, for  the  purpose  of  doing  a  little  more,  or  a  great  deal 
more  good,*  if  all  men  were  under  the  influence  of  the  convic- 
tion, My  Master,  to  whom  I  am  accountable,  is  at  hand  ? 

Verse  60.  THE  LORD  OF  THAT  SERVANT  SHALL  COME  IN  A  DAY  WHEN  HE  LOOKETH 

frOT  FOR  HIM,  AND  IN  AN  HOUR   THAT  HE  IS  NOT  AWARE  OF. 

Here  we  have  still  further  light  with  respect  both  to  the 
nature  and  manner  of  the  second  advent :  it  will  not  be  a 
gradual  diffusion  of  gospel  light  and  happiness ;  it  will  be  a 
sudden  and — to  persons  of  the  character  here  described — • 
an  unexpected  and  terrible  coming.  The  evil  servant  will  be 
among  those  who  shall  "  wail  because  of  him,"  when  they  be- 
hold him  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and 
great  glory.  There  is  a  peculiar  significancy  and  importance 
in  St.  Paul's  words,  (Heb.  ix.  28,)  "  And  unto  them  that  look 
for  him,  shall  he  appear  the  second  time,  without  sin  [sin-of- 
fering] unto  salvation"  This  evil  servant  —  representing  a 
class  —  a  large  class  —  of  professors  —  was  not  looking  for  the 
return  of  his  master ;  so  that  he  came  to  him  very  unexpect- 
edly, not  to  save  him,  it  seems,  but  to  destroy.  The  coming 
of  his  master  was  not  to  this  servant  a  matter  of  hope,  but 
of  surprise,  and  confusion.  He  was  not  looking  for  him  :  he 
was  saying  to  the  very  last  moment,  My  lord  delayeth  his 
coming. 

Now  true  believers  are  represented  as  being  of  a  very  differ- 
ent character,  with  respect  both  to  their  conduct  and  faith. 
And  the  difference  of  their  conduct  arises  from  the  difference 
of  their  faith.  Hence  St.  Paul  speaks  of  believers  in  gen- 
eral, (Titus  ii.  12,  13,)  "  Denying  ungodliness,  and  worldly 
lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this 
present  world  ;  looking  for  that  blessed  HOPE,  and  the  GLORIOUS 
APPEARING  of  the  great  God,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  "\ 

Learn  from  the  subject,  as  now  presented,  that  it  is  not  a 

*  See  Note  S,  in  the  Appendix. 

f  The  appearing  of  God  and  Christ  in  connection  is  represented  in  the  via 
ion  of  Daniel,  vii.  9-14. 


4:16  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

matter  of  insignificance  how  we  believe  respecting  the  timo 
and  manner  of  the  Lord's  coming. 

Verse  51.     AND  SHALL  COT  HIM  ASUNDER,  AND  APPOINT  HTM  ma  PORTION  WITH  THE 

HYPOCRITES  :   THERE  SHALL  BE  WEEPING  AND  GNASHING  OF   TEETH. 

Here  is  the  sad  result  of  impropriety  of  conduct  from  im- 
propriety of  belief.  Had  this  man  believed  right,  there  is  reason 
to  suppose  he  would  have  acted  right.  But,  alas,  the  coming 
in  which  he  professed  to  believe,  but  for  which  he  was  not 
looking,  was  to  him  a  coming  of  wrath  and  ruin.  He  is  to  be 
"  cut  asunder  "  —  terribly  destroyed  by  a  punishment  of  un- 
surpassed severity :  limb  cut  from  limb  ;  head  cut  from  body ; 
body  cut  in  two.  And  then  —  after  being  cut  asunder  —  his 
portion  is  to  be  with  the  hypocrites  :  with  those  who  pretended 
to  believe,  and  to  be,  what  they  did  not  believe,  nor  become. 
This  illustrates  the  Lord's  teaching  elsewhere.  Luke  xii.  4, 5 : 
"  And  I  say  unto  you,  my  friends,  Be  not  afraid  of  them  that 
kill  the  body,  and,  after  that,  have  no  more  that  they  can  do. 
But  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall  fear :  Fear  him,  which, 
after  he  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast  into  hell ;  yea,  I  say 
unto  you,  Fear  him." 

That  state  of  punishment  will  be  a  state  of  consciousness 
and  great  anguish :  "  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of 
teeth."  Anything  but  happiness  is  expressed  in  this  terrible 
description.  Whatever  it  may  indicate,  it  is  certainly  some- 
thing to  be  earnestly  deprecated  and  avoided.  This,  it  should 
be  remembered,  will  take  place  at  the  return  of  the  servant's 
master.  And  in  very  many  places  in  the  Scriptures,  the  sec- 
ond coming  of  the  Lord  is  thus  represented  as  a  time  of  great 
calamity  to  those  who  are  not  found  prepared.  It  will  be  the 
time  of  "  gathering  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend, 
and  them  which  do  iniquity ; "  that  they  may  be  cast  "  into 
a  furnace  of  fire,  where  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of 
teeth."  "Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in 
the  kingdom  of  their  Father."  See  Matt.  xiii.  36-43. 

The  same  period  is  alluded  to  in  Luke  xiii.  28.  "There 
shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the 


HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION.  417 

kingdom  of  God,  and  you  yourselves  thrust  out.  And  they 
shall  come  from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and  from  the 
north,  and  from  the  south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom 
of  God." 

From  the  whole  representation  thus  far,  learn  the  evil  ten- 
dency, and  —  if  yielded  to  —  the  evil  consequences,  of  saying 
in  the  heart,  My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming. 

[Mark :  WATCH  YE,  THEREFORE,  FOR,  YE  KNOW  NOT  WHEN  THE  MASTER  OF  THE  HOUSB 

COMETH,  AT  EVEN,  OR  AT  MIDNIGHT,  OR  AT  THE  COCK-CROWING,  OR  IN  THE  MORNING. 
LEST  COMING  SUDDENLY,  HE  FIND  YOU  SLEEPING.] 

The  relevancy  and  importance  of  this  admonition,  are  too 
evident  to  need  extended  remarks.  The  uncertainty  of  the 
Lord's  return,  and  the  suddenness  of  it,  are  here  assigned  as 
the  reasons  for  constant  watching  and  preparation. 

[Mark :  AND  WHAT  I  SAY  UNTO  YOU.  I,  SAY  UNTO  ALL,  WATCH.] 

Here  is  the  single  exhortation,  for  the  illustration  and  en- 
forcement of  which,  the  previous  parable  was  used.  From 
the  certainty  of  the  Lord's  second  coming,  from  its  connection 
with  the  decisions  of  final  destiny,  from  the  suddenness  of  the 
coming,  from  the  uncertainty  with  respect  to  the  time,  there 
arises  the  great  leading  duty  of  watching. 

And  this  is  a  general  duty :  it  belongs  to  all  people,  and  to 
all  times :  "  What  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  ALL,  WATCH." 
"  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  Lord,  when  he  cometh, 
shall  find  so  doing ! " 

An  impression  appears  to  have  obtained,  that  the  Lord's 
discourse  ended  with  the  twenty-fourth  chapter.  But  it  is 
evident  that  what  is  recorded  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  was 
spoken  at  the  same  time.  The  reader  need  not  be  reminded, 
perhaps,  that  no  importance  whatever  should  be  attached  to 
the  division  of  the  discourse  into  chapters,  for  this  is  wholly 
a  human  and  a  modern  work  :  originally  the  whole  discourse 
stood  just  as  it  would  now  stand,  if  it  was  all  included  in  a 
eingle  chapter. 

The  first  word,  THEN,  of  the  twenty-fifth   chapter  shows 
this  connection   quite  apparently.    But  the  whole  reliance, 
27 


HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

however,  is  not  placed  in  the  initiatory  word ;  it  is  evident  from 
the  whole  chapter  that  it  was  spoken  at  the  same  time  as  the 
former. 

The  parable  of  the  wise  and  the  foolish  virgins  was  designed 
more  particularly  to  apply  the  illustrations  and  admonitions 
which  had  been  already  given  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 
This  not  only  appears  from  the  nature  and  connection  of  the 
parable,  but  from  the  conclusion  of  it,  verse  13 :  "  Watch, 
therefore,  for  ye  know  neither  the  day  nor  the  hour  wherein 
the  Son  of  man  cometh." 

In  this  parable,  as  one  principal  truth,  we  learn  that  apart 
(in  the  parable  it  is  oner-half)  of  those  wJio  are  professedly 
waiting  for  the  coming  of  the  Bridegroom,  will,  after  all,  be 
found  unprepared  to  meet  him  •  and  will  not  ~be  admitted  to 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  See  Rev.  xix.  7-9.  In 
the  parable  of  the  servants  and  the  talents  we  have  the  same 
general  truth  illustrated,  in  connection  with  the  final  result  of 
faithfulness  and  unfaithfulness,  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's  re- 
turn from  his  journey  into  the  "  far  country."  The  faithful  is 
then  made  "  ruler  over  many  things  ; "  he  then  enters  "  into  the 
joy  of"  his  Lord.  The  unfaithful,  who,  at  his  Lord's  "com- 
ing," (verse  27,)  could  not  render  a  good  account  of  his  con- 
duct, is  then  cast  into  outer  darkness,  where  there  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

From  verse  31  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  we  have  the 
closing  up  of  the  whole  discourse,  where  our  Lord  takes  occa- 
sion to  explain  still  further  the  nature  and  results  of  his  com- 
ing. It  will  be  the  time  of  general  judgment  to  the  nations 
then  occupying  the  earth ;  and  the  time  of  admitting  the 
saints  into  the  heavenly  kingdom.  Verse  34.  Christ  will 
then  appear  in  his  character  as  King  (verse  34)  to  judge,  (32) 
to  punish,  and  reward  (40,  46.) 

In  the  former  part  of  the  discourse,  where  his  endeavor 
was  to  proceed  through  from  beginning  to  end,  with  strict 
reference  to  the  chronological  order,  it  was  not  deemed  expe- 
dient to  interrupt  the  prophetic  narrative  by  the  details  of  the 
judgment.  So,  not  to  leave  so  important  a  matter  out  of  the 
discourse,  and,  also,  to  identify  the  time  and  the  event  so  that 


HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION.  419 

the  readers  of  the  Old  Testament  prophecies  might  not  be  at 
a  loss  to  understand  the  matter,  he  here  dwells  more  particu- 
larly on  the  judgment  which  shall  take  place  at  his  coming, 
and  the  eternal  destinies  which  shall  be  decided.  In  this 
manner,  the  Lord  clearly  identifies  his  second  advent  with  the 
coming  and  judgment  predicted  by  Daniel,  Zachariah,  Joel, 
Isaiah,  &c.  These  prophecies  have  already  been  sufficiently 
explained  in  former  chapters  of  this  Exposition.  And  the 
reader  will  perceive  that  the  theory  of  interpretation  adopted 
in  this  work,  besides  being  a  rigidly  literal  and  easily  under- 
stood theory,  not  only  harmonizes  all  the  different  parts  of  the 
Lord's  discourse  at  this  time,  but  many  of  the  parables  and 
predictions  which  he  delivered  at  other  times.  And,  besides, 
it  harmonizes  the  prophecies  in  other  parts  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  which,  in  many  instances,  have  bewildered 
expositors,  and  been  regarded  as  being  wholly  inexplicable 
to  the  common  reader. 

Without  trying  to  reconcile  the  learned  and  excellent  Dr. 
CLARKE  with  himself,  the  author  takes  the  liberty  of  closing 
this  Exposition  by  quoting  the  Doctor's  very  judicious  and 
impressive  observations  on  the  parable  of  the  servants  whom 
the  master  left  in  the  care  of  his  house,  when  he  journeyed 
into  "a  far  country."  See  Mark  xiii.  34-36,  and  Matt, 
xxiv.  45-51. 

"  Our  Lord  shows  us  in  this  parable,  1.  That  himself,  as- 
cended to  heaven,  is  the  man  gone  from  home.  2.  That 
'believers  collectively  are  his  family.  3.  That  his  servants  are 
those  who  are  employed  in  the  work  of  faith  and  labor  of 
love.  4.  That  the  porter  represents  the  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel, who  should  continually  watch  for  the  safety  and  welfare 
of  the  whole  flock.  5.  That  every  one  has  his  own  work, — 
that  which  belongs  to  himself,  and  to  none  other  ;  and  for  the 
accomplishment  of  which,  he  receives  sufficient  strength  from 
his  Lord.  6.  That  these  servants  and  porters  shall  give  an 
account  to  their  Lord,  how  they  have  exercised  themselves  in 
their  respective  departments.  7.  And  that  as  the  Master  of 
the  family  will  certainly  come  to  require  this  account  at  a 
time  when  men  are  not  aware,  therefore  they  should  be  always 


420  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

watchful  and  faithful.  And,  8.  That  this  is  a  duty  incum- 
bent on  every  soul  of  man :  What  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto 
ALL,  WATCH  !  If  after  all  these  warnings,  the  followers  of 
God  be  found  careless,  their  misery  and  condemnation  must 
be  great." 


APPENDIX  I. 

CONTAINING  THE   PRINCIPAL  NOTES  REFERRED  TO  IN  THE 
EXPOSITION. 


NOTE  A.  (Page  81.) 

THIS  Harmony  was  prepared,  and  submitted  to  the  inspection  of  several 
persons,  several  months  previously  to  the  publication  of  the  excellent  "  HAB- 
MONY  AND  EXPOSITION"  of  Mr.  JAMES  STRONG,  A.  M.  The  fact  is  mentioned  here 
for  the  purpose  of  noting  the  singular  coincidence  of  two  writers,  entirely 
unknown  to  each  other,  being  at  the  same  time  engaged  in  preparing  an  ori- 
ginal Harmony  on  substantially  the  same  principle.  The  works  do  not  wholly 
agree  in  the  arrangement  of  the  verses  of  the  portion  treated  in  this  book ; 
nor  are  they  similar  in  the  method  of  exhibiting  the  references  to  other  parts 
of  the  Scriptures.  But  in  the  plan  of  combining  the  several  records,  so  as  to 
present  at  one  view  all  that  the  different  evangelists  have  recorded  on  each 

distinct  subject,  the  reader  will  find  a  substantial  agreement. 

I 

NOTE  B.     (Page  82.) 

Since  writing  this  part  of  the  Exposition,  the  following  proof  of  what  was 
merely  supposed  from  the  words  of  Christ,  has  come  to  view.  It  refers  di- 
rectly to  the  coming  of  Impostors  in  the  name  of  Christ.  Euseb.  EccL  Hist.,  S. 
3,  c.  26.  "Menander,  who  succeeded  Simon  Magus,  exhibited  himself  in  his 
conduct  an  -instrument  of  diabolical  wickedness,  not  inferior  to  the  former. 
He  also  was  a  Samaritan  ;  and  having  made  no  less  progress  in  his  imposture 
than  his  master,  reveled  in  still  more  arrogant  pretensions  to  miracles ;  say- 
ing that  he  was  in  truth  the  Saviour  once  sent  from  the  invisible  worlds  for  the 
salvation  of  men."  The  historian  adds,  "This  account  may  be  easily  confirm- 
ed from  Irenius." 

NOTE  C.     (Page  159.) 

St  Peter,  speaking  of  these  very  characters  that  endeavored  to  corrupt  the 
church,  says,  (2  Pet.  ii.  18,)  "For  when  they  speak  great  swelling  words  of 
vanity,  they  allure  through  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  through  much  wantonness, 
those  that  were  clean  escaped  from  them  who  live  in  error." 

NOTE  D.    (Page  235.) 

Since  the  foregoing  was  written,  the  author  has  providentially  met  with  an 
old  Treatise  on  Prophecy,  by  Rev.  JOSEPH  TOWERS,  LL.  D.,  which  very  unex- 


422  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

pectedly  sustains  the  view  of  the  subject  maintained  in  this  Treatise.  And, 
what  is  not  a  little  remarkable,  Dr.  Towers,  to  some  extent,  adopts  the  very 
system  of  interpretation  which  this  Treatise  opposes. 

Eeferring  to  the  passage  under  notice,  he  says,  (vol.  2,  p.  40,)  "  But  I  shall 
be  asked,  does  this  most  illustrious  of  the  prophets  himself  specify  any  time; 
and,  if  specified,  does  it  correspond  with  what  has  before  been  gathered  from 
Daniel  and  from  John  ?  I  answer,  that  it  perfectly  does.  The  sun  shall  be 
darkened,  says  our  Lord,  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days.  Now 
what  are  those  days,  and  when  do  they  terminate.?  The  incomparable  Mr. 
MEDE,  (I  use  the  epithet  of  Bishops  HURD  and  HALIFAX,)  in  speaking  of  the 
Jews  and  of  this  passage,  says,  'This  great  tribulation,  such  as  never  nation 
suffered,  is  not  to  be  confined  to  their  calamity  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but 
extends  to  the  whole  time  of  their  captivity  and  dispersion  from  that  time  unto 
this  present  not  yet  ended.'  To  the  same  purpose  speaks  that  eminent  Dutch 
divine,  EPISCOPIUS,  in  his  commentary  on  Matthew  ;  and  in  like  manner  Arch- 
bishop TILLOTSON  has  observed,  that  the  prophecy  of  Jesus  respecting  the  suf- 
ferings of  his  countrymen,  'comprehends  from  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  all 
the  time  of  the  captivity  of  the  Jews  among  the  Gentiles,  which  we  see  is  not  yet 
expired;  and  that  when  it  is  said,  the  sun  shall  be  darkened,  <fec.,  after  the  trib- 
ulation of  those  days,  the  meaning  is,  this  shall  happen  'when  God  hath  made 
an  end  of  punishing  the  nation  of  the  Jews.'"  "It  has  also  been  thought," 
continues  Dr.  TOWER,  "that  these  words  relate  not  to  the  descendents  of 
Abraham  alone.  The  expression,  'the  tribulation  of  those  days,'  says  MATTHEW 
HENRY,  'includes  not  only  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but  all  the  other  trib- 
ulation which  the  Church  must  pass  through ;  and  thus  it  is  to  be  extended  as 
well  to  the  Christians  as  to  the  Jews.  Thalfit  is  to  be  applied  to  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  Christian  Church,  was  the  decided  opinion  of  VITRINGA.  Such  like- 
wise was  the  sentiment  of  THEOPHYLACT,  and  of  CHRYSOSTOM."  "From  the 
21st  chapter  of  Luke  we  learn,"  continues  Dr.  TOWER,  "that  'the  tribulation 
of  those  days '  has  a  very  extensive  meaning  ;  and  that  it  especially  signifies  the 
treading  down  of  Jerusalem  and  Judeaby  the  Gentiles,  which  shall  not  termi- 
nate till  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  accomplished ;  for  such  is  the  import 
of  his  words."  "  From  a  comparison  of  these  two  passages  in  Matthew  and  in 
Luke,"  repeats  Dr.  TOWER,  "it  appears  evident,  that  'the  tribulation  of  those 
days'  mentioned  by  the  former  of  these  apostolic  writers,  reaches  through  the 
whole  period  during  which  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles.1 " 
A  note  in  the  volume  from  which  the  foregoing  extracts  have  been  taken, 
reads  thus  —  "Some  interpreters,"  says  CALVIN,  "rashly  understand  'the  trib- 
ulation of  those  days'  as  relating  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  alone." 

NOTE  E.     (Page  246.) 

Mr.  LOWTH,  in  treating  of  the  38th  and  39th  chapters  of  Ezekial,  says,  "The 
prohecy  contained  in  this  and  the  following  chapter,  concerning  Israel's  vic- 
tory over  Gog  and  Magog,  without  question  relates  to  the  latter  ages  of  the  world, 
when  the  whole  house  of  Israel  shall  return  into  their  own  land." 

Dr.  TOWER  remarks,  referring  to  the  "  incomparable  MEDE,"  "  That  the  Gog 
and  Magog  of  the  Apocalypse  cannot  be  understood  of  the  Gog  and  Magog  of 


APPENDIX.  423 

Ezekiel,  this  sagacious  commentator  has  remarked;  and  I  regard  his  observa- 
tion as  indubitable." 

NOTE  F.    (Page         .) 

"  The  sea  and  the  waves  roaring ;  men's  hearts  failing  them  for  fear,"  &c. 
Many  of  Israel's  enemies  will  doubtless  invade  Palestine  from  the  sea.  Hostile 
fleets  will  swarm  with  the  invading  armies.  The  judgments  that  convulse 
the  earth  and  heavens  will  dreadfully  affect  the  sea :  it  will  be  roused  into 
terrible  commotion,  and  its  waves  roar  with  horrid  tumult.  The  invaders, 
terrified  and  distressed  upon  the  land,  will  naturally  ttirn  to  the  sea,  to  fly 
from  the  terrors  on  shore.  But  they  cannot  escape  by  the  sea:  the  divine 
fury  is  as  visible  there  as  in  the  shaking  heavens.  Truly  will  they  be  in 
"  perplexity,"  with  their  "  hearts  failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking  after 
those  things  which  are  coining  on  the  earth." 

NOTE  G.    (Page  278.) 

To  those  who  have  not  personally  examined  the  subject,  this  may  seem  to 
conflict  with  the  Scriptures ;  for,  certainly,  there  is  much  said  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, respecting  the  doings  of  Christ,  which  does  not  appear  to  be  a  work  of 
grace.  He  is  spoken  of  as  ruling  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  dashing  in  pieces  as  a 
potter's  vessel;  as  taking  vengeance  on  his  enemies;  as  being  angry  with  the 
nations,  while  they  call  for  the  mountains  to  hide  them  from  the  wrath  oft/ie 
Lamb.  These  portions  of  the  Scriptures  appear  to  have  led  even  our  orthodox 
commentators  into  the  inconsistent  method  of  interpreting  Christ's  prophecy 
in  the  way  herein  objected  to.  And  it  is  truly  surprising  that  divines  so 
able  as  Newton,  "Watson,  Lightfoot,  Clarke,  Benson,  Barnes,  <fcc.,  &c.,  should 
have  failed  to  perceive  that  such  passages  of  Scripture  applied  to  the  doings 
of  Christ,  in  the  gospel  dispensation,  are  not  only  diametrically  opposed  to 
the  essential  character  of  the  Mediatorial  office,  but  are  not  in  any  sense  war- 
ranted by  the  language  of  the  Scriptures. 

It  will  be  found  that  such  language,  when  applied  to  Christ  in  the  Bible,  is 
prophetic :  revealing — not  what  he  is  now  doing  —  but  what  he  mil  do.  And 
the  context  of  such  passages  will  sufficiently  show  that  the  fulfillment  of  these 
prophecies  belongs  to  the  succeeding  dispensation,  which  will  be  ushered  in 
by  the  Second  Advent.  Take,  for  example,  the  passage  in  Rev.  ii.  27.  "And 
he  shall  rule  them  [the  nations]  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  as  the  vessel  of  a  potter 
shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers  ;  even  as  I  received  of  my  father."  This  text, 
let  it  be  observed,  is  addressed  by  Christ  to  his  servants  who  prove  fejtiiful 
unto  the  end ;  and  it  promises  them  a  part  with  him  in  the  government  of  the 
world  —  even  in  the  judgment  and  violent  destruction  of  the  natiyms,  when 
they  shall  be  broken  to  shivers  as  an  earthen  vessel.  This  doctrine  is  dis- 
tinctly taught  in  other  places:  e.  g.,  1  Cor.  vi.  2,  3.  "Do ye  not  know  that 
the  saints  shall  judge  the  world  ?  And  if  the  world  shall  be  judged  by  you, 
are  ye  unworthy  to  judge  the  smallest  matters."  In  relation  to  the  time  when 
this  shall  be  fulfilled,  it  is  always  spoken  of  as  yet  to  come  ;  and  is  usually  — . 
if  not  always  —  identified  with  the  period  of  the  Second  Advent.  The  pas- 
sage already  quoted  from  Revelation  shows  this:  "But  that  ""  ' 


424:  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

already,  hold  fast  TILL  I  COME.  And  he  that  overcometh,  and  keepeth  my  works 
unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  power  over  the  nations ;  and  he  shall  rule  them 
with  a  rod  of  iron,"  &c.  Now,  no  one,  having  this  thought  about  him,  will 
contend  that  this  has  been,  or  will  be,  fulfilled  in  the  gospel  dispensation. 
The  very  same  rule  of  the  saints  is  clearly  predicted,  both  in  relation  to  the 
fact  and  the  time,  in  Dan.,  7th  chapter.  In  the  vision  therein  related,  we  are 
expressly  informed  that  it  reached  forward  to  the  judgment :  Verse  9.  "  I 
beheld  till  the  thrones  were  cast  down,  and  the  Ancient  of  Days  did  sit.  .  .  . 
10.  Thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand  stood  befor%  him :  the  judgment  was  set,  and  the  books  were  opened. 
13.  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold,  one  like  the  Son  of  man  came  with 
the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of  Days,  and  they  brought  him 
near  before  him.  14.  And  there  was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a 
kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages  should  serve  him :  his  do- 
minion is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  king- 
dom, that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed." 

In  the  interpretation  of  the  vision  which  Daniel  obtained,  he  was  informed, 
\erse  18,  "But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the  kingdom,  and  pos- 
sess the  kingdom  forever,  even  forever  and  ever."  It  is  at  this  time,  doubt- 
less, when  "  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the  kingdom,"  that  the 
prediction  in  Revelation,  and  the  declaration  of  Paul  in  Corinthians  shall  be 
fulfilled.  Daniel  goes  on  to  tell  the  exact  time  when  the  event  shall  be  ac- 
complished: Verse  21.  "  I  beheld,  and  the  same  horn  made  war  with  the  saints, 
and  prevailed  against  them :  22.  UNTIL  THE  ANCIENT  OF  DAYS  CAME,  AND  JUDG- 
MENT WAS  GIVEN  TO  THE  SAINTS  OF  THE  MOST  HlGH  ;  AND  THE  TIME  CAME  THAT  THE 

SAINTS  POSSESSED  THE  KINGDOM."  A  still  further  interpretation  of  the  matter  in- 
formed the  prophet,  that,  verse  25,  "  He  [the  little  horn]  shall  speak  against 
the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  think  to 
change  times  and  laws ;  and  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hand  until  a  time, 
and  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time.  26.  BUT  THE  JUDGMENT  SHALL  sir,  AND 

THEY  SHALL  TAKE  AWAY  HIS  DOMINION,  TO  CONSUME  AND  TO  DESTROY  IT  UNTO  THE  END. 

27.  -And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the 
whole  heaven,  SHALL  BE  GIVEN  TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  SAINTS  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH, 
whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and 
obey  him."  This  sufficiently  indicates  the  time  when  the  afore  quoted  pre- 
dictions of  the  saints,  with  Christ,  judging  the  world,  and  ruling  with  a  rod 
of  iron. 

The  second  Psalm  is  of  the  same  nature,  and  appears  to  relate  to  the  very 
same  event  and  time :  The  Father,  speaking  to  the  Son,  says,  verse  8,  "Ask 
of  me,  and  I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession.  9.  Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a 
rod  of  iron ;  thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel."  It  is  evident, 
however,  from  the  context,  as  well  as  the  text  itself,  that  it  is  yet  future :  the 
time  has  not  yet  come  for  him  to  receive  the  inheritance,  to  treat  it  in  this  vi- 
olent manner  ;  and  the  time  has  not  yet  come  for  him  to  deal  with  the  nations 
in  wrath.  Hence — during  the  time  of  grace — the  rebellious  kings  and  judges 
of  the  earth  are  exhorted  to  (verse  12,)  "  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye 


APPENDIX.  425 

perish  from  the  way,  [as  before  described,]  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a. 
little." 

Rev.  xii.  5,  contains  another  prediction,  of  the  same  nature,  which  the  con- 
text shows  will  not  be  fulfilled  until  after  the  expiration  of  the  "  thousand, 
two  hundred,  and  three  score  days."  Rev.  xix.  15,  is  another  example,  which 
the  connections  clearly  show  is  not  to  be  fulfilled  until  the  destruction  of  the 
Beast  and  the  False  Prophet  at  the  great  battle  of  Gog  and  Magog.  Then 
appears  upon  the  scene  "  THE  WORD  OF  GOD,"  as  "  KING  OF  KINGS,  and  LORD  OF 
LORDS;"  verse  14:  "And  the  armies  in  heaven  followed  him  upon  white 
horses,*  clothed  in  fine  liuen,  white  and  clean.  15.  And  out  of  his  mouth 
goeth  a  sharp  sword,  f  tVat  with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations:  and  he  shall 
rule  them  with  a  rod  of  i/on. :  and  he  treadeth  the  wine  press  of  the  fierceness 
and  wrath  of  Almighty  God."  Rev.  xi.  18,  speaks  also  in  another  form  of 
the  same  time  of  wrath ;  but  the  connections  show  that  it  does  not  belong  to 
the  mediatorial  dispensation:  verse  15:  "And  the  seventh  angel  sounded ; 
and  there  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign 
forever  and  ever.  16.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  which  sat  before  God 
on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their  faces,  and  worshipped  God,  1Y.  Saying,  "We 
give  thee  thanks,  0  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come  ; 
because  thou  has  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power,  and  hast  reigned.  18.  And  the 
nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come,  and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they 
should  be  judged,  and  that  thou  shouldest  give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  proph- 
ets, and  to  the  saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy  name,  small  and  great ;  and 
shouldest  DESTROY  them  which  destroyed  the  earth."  Rev.  vi.  16,  also  speaks  of 
the  wrath  of  Christ ;  but  it  does  not  belong  to  the  dispensation  of  mediation ; 
it  will  occur  at  the  very  same  time  that  Christ  predicted  his  own  coming,  in 
the  30th  verse  of  the  chapter  treated  in  this  Exposition :  viz,  just  after  the 
shaking  of  the  heavens.  Verse  12  :  "And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the 
sixth  seal,  and,  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake ;  and  the  sun  became  black  as 
sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as  blood  :  Verse  13.  And  the  stars  of 
heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as  a  fig-tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs,  when 
she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty  wind.  14.  And  the  heavens  departed  as  a  scroll 
when  it  is  rolled  together;  and  every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out 
their  places.  15.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the  rich 
men,  and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  every  bondman,  and 
every  free  man  \.  hid  themselves  in  the  dens,  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains : 
16.  And  said  to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  §  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face 
of  him  that  si-tteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb:  17. 
FOR  THE  GREAT  DAY  OF  HIS  WRATH  is  COME;  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?" 

This  is  the  time  that  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  shall  appear  in  heaven,  and 

*They  were  so  represented  in  the  vision. 

t  So  it  was  represented  in  the  vision. 

JThis  particularizes  what  Christ  generalized  by  the  expression,  "all  tribes  of  the  earth  shall 
mourn." 

§  They  would  be  among  the  rocks,  dens,  and  mountains  of  Palestine— See  chap,  ix.,  from  sec- 
tion 17,  and  onward,  of  this  Exposition. 


4:26  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  shall  mourn  AS  THEY  SEE  HIM  COMING  IN  THE  CLOUDS 
OF  HEAVEN  WITH  POWER  AND  GREAT  GLORY.  They  will  know  that  the  day  of 
salvation  is  past :  he  does  not  appear  as  the  Mediator  to  intercede  for  them ; 
he  comes  to  judge  and  punish.  Then  —  and  not  before  —  can  it  be  truly  said, 
"  THE  GREAT  DAY  OF  HIS  WRATH  is  COME."  Now,  as  God  had  saved  men,  by  Christ 
Jesus  ;  so,  now,  "  God  shall  judge  tJte  world  in  righteousness,  BY  THAT  MAN  WHOM 

HE  HATH  ORDAINED."      Acts  XVli.  31. 

Now,  the  day  of  mediation  ended,  comes  the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation 
of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  who  will  render  to  every  man  according  to 
his  deeds.  Unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but 
obey  unrighteousness,  he  will  render  indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and 
anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil;  of  the  Jew  first,  and  also  of 
the  Gentile.  "!N  THE  DAY  WHEN  GOD  SHALL  JUDGE  THE  SECRETS  OF  MEN,  BY  JESUS 
CHRIST,  ACCORDING  TO  MY  GOSPEL  I  "  See  Romans,  chapter  ii. 

Christ  is  now  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  appearing  in  the 
presence  of  God  as  our  interceding  High  Priest,  ever  living  to  make  interces- 
sion for  us.  There  he  will  remain,  in  the  same  mediatorial  office,  until  the  fin- 
ishing up  of  the  mediatorial  dispensation ;  for  the  heavens  must  receive  him 

UNTIL  THE  TIMES  OF  RESTITUTION  OF  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  GOD  HATH  SPOKEN  BY  THK 
MOUTH  OF  ALL  HIS  HOLY  PROPHETS,  SINCE  THE  WORLD  BEGAN.  Acts  iii.  21. 

When  the  mediatorial  dispensation  and  work  are  completed,  and  the  Son 
gives  back  the  mediatorial  kingdom  to  God  the  Father,  having  completed  his 
mediation ;  then,  the  dispensation  of  grace  being  finished,  and  the  judgment 
day  having  come,  —  then,  2  Thess.  i.  7 ;  "  The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed 
from  heaven,  with  his  mighty  angels,  8.  In  flaming  fire;  taking  ven- 
geance on  them  that  know  not  God,  nor  obey  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  9.  Who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power;  10.  WHEN  HE 

SHALL  COME  TO    BE  GLORIFIED  IN  HIS  SAINTS,    AND   TO  BE  ADMIRED   IN    ALL  THEM  THAT 

BELIEVE  IN  THAT  DAY."  Thus  it  is  that  in  all  the  places  in  the  Scripture,  where 
wrath,  vengeance,  and  destructive  judgments,  are  attributed  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  it  is  always  in  connection  with  the  judgment  dispensation,  and  not 
during  the  mediatorial.  The  heavens  must  receive  him  —  as  the  High  Priest 
within  the  vail,  before  the  mercy-seat  —  until  those  times  (plural)  of  restitution 
which  the  prophets  have  predicted ;  such  as  David  and  Daniel  had  foretold,  as 
we  have  already  noticed.  Then  comes  the  restitution,  or  regeneration,  of  this 
world,  when  God  shall  make  all  things  new.  Until  then,  the  office  of  the  Son 
of  God  is  such,  that  it  is  palpably  inconsistent  to  attribute  to  him  the  ven 
geance  and  desolation  that  destroyed  the  Jewish  people.  But,  when  these 
times  of  restitution  arrive,  then  will  arrive  the  time  when  Christ  shall  judge 
the  world,  ruling  the  wicked  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  the  saints  shall  rule  with 
him.  Then  will  come  the  time  when  the  wicked  shall  be  destroyed,  and  the 
righteous  Judge  shall  give  the  crown  to  all  them  that  love  his  appearing. 
To  this  day  the  apostles  were  directed  to  look  for  their  reward,*  as  Christ 
himself  has  taught ;  Matt,  xix  27 :  "Then  answered  Peter, f  and  said  unto  him, 

*Eev.  xi  18,  and  many  other  passages  in  other  portions  of  the  Bible. 
tRead  the  context  from  verse  28. 


APPENDIX.  427 

Behold,  we  have  left  all,  and  followed  thee ;  what  shall  we  have  therefore  f 
28.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  ye  which  have 
followed  me,  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of 
his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel." 
How  plainly  the  Bible  identifies  the  time  when  Christ  shall  begin  to  judge 
the  world,  and  to  destroy  the  wicked  1  How  plainly  does  it  teach  that  this 
belongs  to  another  dispensation  J  What  must  we  think  of  the  doctrine  that 
Christ  judges  with  destructive  vengeance  now? 

NOTE  II.     (Page  293.) 

To  the  objection,  that  no  sign  in  the  heavens  could  be  seen,  at  the  same 
time,  by  "all  the  tribes  of  the  earth,"  it  may  be  replied:  True,  perhaps,  if 
the  tribes  are  all  scattered  abroad  in  every  part  of  the  earth,  as  at  the  present 
time.  But  what  if  "all  the  tribes  of  the  earth,"  in  the  scriptural  use  of  that 
expression,  should  be  assembled  in  some  particular  region  of  the  earth  ?  By 
the  scriptural  use  of  the  expression,  and  others  implying  about  the  same  thing, 
we  do  not  usually  understand  every  individual  of  all  the  tribes :  but  we  re- 
gard them  as  general  expressions,  denoting  a  very  great  multitude ;  and,  in 
cases  like  the  one  in  the  text,  a  very  great  variety. 

Now,  it  is  worthy  of  especial  notice,  that  the  Scriptures  have  in  several 
places  represented  that  at  the  very  time  which,  in  this  Treatise,  it  is  main- 
tained that  this  prediction  will  be  fulfilled,  there  will  a  gathering  of  all  na- 
tions which,  of  course,  must  include  "  all  tribes,"  for  nation  is  the  more  ex- 
tensive term.  In  the  representation  of  the  mighty  gathering  of  Gog  and 
Magog,  the  idea  is  conveyed  throughout  that  it  is  to  be  a  general  assembly  of 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  See  below,  Rev.  xx.  8.  Hence,  when  the  Lord  ob- 
tains the  victory  over  them,  "  he  will  be  known  in  the  sight  of  many  nations." 
Ezek.  xxxviii.  23.  The  same  expression  is  elsewhere  used  in  relation  to  the 
same  gathering.  So  in  Rev.  xvi.  14,  in  the  great  gathering  in  the  place  cal- 
led Armageddon,  all  the  world  is  represented  as  being  assembled :  "For  they 
are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  which  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather  them,  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of 
God  Almighty"  Rev.  xx.  8 :  "And  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations  which 
are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog,  to  gather  them  to  bat- 
tle ;  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea."  In  Zech.  xiv.,  we  have 
the  same  thing  revealed ;  Verse  1.  Behold,  the  day  of  the  Lord  cometh,  —  and 
thy  spoil  shall  be  divided  in  the  midst  of  thee.  2.  For  I  will  gather  ALL 

NATIONS  against  Jerusalem  to  battle 3.  Then  the  LORD  shall  go 

forth,  and  fight  against  those  nations,  as  when  he  fought  in  the  day  of  battle. 

.  .  .  .  5.  And  the  LORD  MY  GOD  SHALL  COME,  AND  ALL  THE  SAINTS  WITH 
THEE."  (See  also  Jude,  verse  14,  as  identifying  the  time.)  Zech.  xii.  9:  "And 
it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  I  will  seek  to  destroy  ALL  THE  NATIONS 
THAT  COME  AGAINST  JERUSALEM."  Verse  3:  "And  in  that  day  will  I  make  Jeru- 
salem a  burdensome  stone  for  all  people :  all  that  burden  themselves  with  it 
shall  he  cut  in  pieces,  THOUGH  ALL  THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  EARTH  BE  GATHERED  TOGETH- 
ER AGAINST  IT."  This  is  precisely  the  idea  taught  in  Joel  iii.,  which  has  been 
proved  to  refer  to  the  very  time  the  Lord  is  now  speaking  of.  Verse  1 :  "  For 


4:28  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 


THOSE  DAYS,  AND  AT  THAT    TIME,    WHEN  I  SHALL  BRING    AGAIN  THE  CAPTIV- 
ITY   OF    JUDAH    AND    JERUSALEM,*       2.     I  will  also    GATHER    ALL  NATIONS,  and  will 

bring  them  down  into  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  will  plead  with  them 
there  for  my  people,"  <fcc.  Verse  14:  "Multitudes,  multitudes  in  the  valley 
of  decision  :  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  near  in  the  valley  of  decision.  15. 
The  sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  stars  shall  withdraw  their  shining." 
These  many  (and  these  are  not  all)  examples  of  the  scriptural  use  of  the  term 
"  all  tribes  of  the  earth,"  or  of  other  terms  conveying  the  same  idea,  prove 
two  very  important  things  :  First,  that  at  some  future  time  there  will  be  a 
"gathering"  of  "  all  the  heathen,"  "  all  the  nations,"  "  all  the  world,"  "the 
nations  that  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,"  &c.  ;  —  And,  secondly, 
that  this  will  occur  at  precisely  the  time,  as  taught  in  this  Treatise,  of  which 
the  Lord  was  speaking  in  this  part  of  his  prophecy. 

What  becomes  of  the  objection,  then,  that  "  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth,"  — 
as  the  Scriptures  use  the  term,  or  its  equivalents  in  respect  to  this  very  occur- 
rence —  cannot  witness  the  sign  in  the  heavens,  at  the  same  moment  of  time? 

There  is  another  thought  :  who  knows  but  this  luminous  sign  may  be  elec- 
trical in  its  nature,  and,  of  consequence,  instantaneous  in  its  passage  from 
place  to  place  ?  Is  not  this  more  than  intimated  by  our  Saviour  himself? 

"  For  as   the  LIGHTNING  cometh  out  of  the  east,  and  shineth  even  unto  the  west, 

SO  SHALL  ALSO  THE  COMING  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN  BE." 

But  whether  the  objection  is  answered  or  not,  there  is  an  answer  that  must 
suffice  :  Christ  has  distinctly  affirmed  that  "  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  "  shall 
witness  his  coming.  Any  objection  to  the  expression  is  an  objection  to  the 
fact  it  declares.  Let  us  be  careful  that  we  do  not  cavil  at  the  words  of  Infi- 
nite Wisdom. 

NOTE  I.     (Page  298.) 

As  the  last  three  chapters  of  Zechariah  have  been  designated  as  describing 
clearly  the  times  of  this  great  mourning,  and  identifying  it  with  the  final 
conflict  and  deliverance  of  Israel,  it  may  be  necessary  to  say  a  few  words  by 
way  of  explaining  such  portions  of  the  chapters  designated  as  do  not  so 
clearly  refer  to  that  time.  Chap.  xiii.  7-9  is  clearly  a  reference  to  the  betrayal 
and  death  of  Christ,  suggested  as  the  explanation  of  the  previous  references  to 
their  looking  upon  him  whom  they  had  pieced,  and  the  reference  to  the  wounds 
in  the  hands,  which  betoken  the  fact  of  his  having  been  nailed  to  the  cross. 
This  suggested  explanation  of  terms  that  were  used  in  reference  to  the  final 
mourning,  it  will  be  observed,  is  followed  by  a  brief,  comprehensive  state- 
ment of  the  calamities  of  that  people  down  to  the  time  of  which  he  was  then 
formally  discussing:  to  the  time  when  —  after  all  their  wickedness  and 
wretchedness  —  they  should  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  God  would 
hear  them,  and  would  say  to  them,  "It  is  my  people  ;  "  and  they  should  say, 
"The  Lord  is  my  God." 

Then  chap.  xiv.  1,  comes  in  with  the  more  particular  description  of  the  day 
and  occasion:  "Behold,  the  day  of  the  Lord  cometh,  and  thy  spoil  shall  be 
divided  in  the  midst  of  thee.  2.  FOR  I  will  gather  ALL  NATIONS  against  Jerusa- 

*  That  is,  when  he  brings  back  the  captives. 


APPENDIX.  429 

lent  to  battle ;  and  the  city  shall  be  taken,  and  the  honses  rifled,  and  the  wo- 
men ravished ;  and  half  of  the  city  shall  go  forth  into  captivity,  and  the 
residue  of  the  people  shall  not  be  cut  off  from  the  city."  This  evidently  al- 
ludes to  the  first  stages  of  the  great  conflict,  before  the  Deliverer  comes.  At 
first  the  multitude  of  enemies  will  prevail,  and  the  Jews  will  despair  of  de- 
liverance. This  will  make  their  salvation  by  divine  interposition  more  con- 
spicuous and  remarkable,  as  God  hath  usually  ordered  it  in  his  merciful 
interpositions.  Then,  as  the  next  verse  shows,  will  be  the  time  for  the  Lord 
to  come  for  the  salvation  of  his  people.  Verse  3 :  "  THEN  SHALL  THE  LORD  GO 
FORTH,  AND  FIGHT  AGAINST  THESE  NATIONS,  as  when  he  fought  in  the  day  of  battle. 
4.  And  his  feet  shall  stand  in  that  day  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  which  is 
before  Jerusalem  on  the  east,*  and  the  Mount  of  Olives  shall  cleave  in  the 
midst  thereof  toward  the  east  and  toward  the  west,  and  there  shall  be  a  very 
great  valley ;  and  half  of  the  mountain  shall  remove  toward  the  north,  and 
half  of  it  toward  the  south.  5.  And  ye  shall  flee  to  the  valley  of  the  moun- 
tains; for  the  valley  of  the  mountains  shall  reach  unto  Azal :  yea,  ye  shall  flee 
like  as  ye  fled  from  before  the  earthquake  in  the  days  of  Uzziah,  king  of  Ju- 
dah ;  AND  THE  LORD  MY  GOD  SHALL  COME,  AND  ALL  THE  SAINTS  WITH  THEE."  Then 
follows  —  to  the  end  of  the  book —  a  description  of  the  permanent,  (verse  11) 
salvation  of  Israel,  and  the  holiness  (verse  20)  which  shall  forever  characterize 
them  as  they  dwell  in  their  own  land,  their  enemies  being  either  destroyed 
(verses  12-15)  or  converted,  (verses  16-19.)  Those  who  venture  to  interpret 
this  as  anything  that  has  yet  occurred,  and  those  who  explain  it  away  to 
mean  almost  anything  that  may  be  guessed  at  or  fancied,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  literal  understanding  of  it,  assume  a  responsibility  which  they  may  here- 
after regret. 

NOTE  J.     (Page  304) 

The  return  to  the  subject  of  his  coming  was  evidently  designed  by  our  Lord 
for  the  purpose  of  describing  the  event  more  fully,  and  especially  to  speak  of  it 
in  connection  with  the  judgment  which  should  follow ;  for  he  is  to  "judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing  and  his  kingdom."  2  Tim.  iv.  1. 

The  plan  of  his  discourse  appears  to  have  been  formed  to  answer  the  inqui- 
ries which  occasioned  it.  But  these  inquiries  do  not  seem  to  have  had  any  par- 
ticular reference  to  the  judgment  which  should  immediately  follow,  or  attend, 
his  coming.  After  going  through  the  prophetic  history,  in  exact  chronologi- 
cal order,  and  bringing  the  subject  down  to  the  sign  of  his  coming  and  of  the 
end  of  the  world,  he  saw  proper  then  to  speak  of  gathering  together  his  elect; 
and  then  to  suspend  the  regular  order  of  the  discourse,  for  the  purpose  of  giv- 
ing appropriate  admonitions  and  illustrations,  having  special  respect  to  the 
necessity  of  being  always  prepared  for  his  coming.  These  occupy  the  conclu- 
ding part  of  the  24th  chapter,  and  the  whole  of  the  25th,  down  to  the  80th 
verse.  In  suspending  the  regular  prophetic  narrative,  he  left  some  things 
unsaid,  and  some  things  unexplained.  In  the  31st  verse  of  the  25th  chapter 

*  How  particular  the  prediction !  Who  will  venture  to  explain  it  all  away  by  metaphorical 
Interpretations? 


430  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

he  resumes  the  subject  of  his  advent,  to  say  what  he  did  not  say  before,  (though 
it  was  of  necessity  implied,)  that  the  ANGELS  would  come  with  him.  This  was 
of  necessity  implied  in  the  31st  verse  of  the  24th  chapter,  where  he  speaks  of 
tending  his  angels  to  gather  together  his  elect.  With  this  further  statement 
by  himself,  his  great  discourse  is  made  to  harmonize  with  his  own  declarations 
at  other  times,  and  with  the  predictions  of  the  prophets  that  were  before  him. 
But  the  same  prophets  who  had  spoken  of  the  coming  of  the  angels  with  him, 
and  of  the  elect  being  gathered,  had  also  spoken  of  the  gathering  together  of 
"  all  nations,"  for  the  purpose  of  being  judged  and  destroyed.  This  Christ 
had  not  previously  mentioned  in  this  discourse ;  and  he  resumes  the  general 
subject  for  the  evident  purpose  of  finishing  what  he  knew  was  left  unfinished, 
by  leaving  the  thread  of  the  discourse  in  order  to  give  the  appropriate  admo- 
nitions and  illustrations.  In  this  way,  in  connection  with  practical  instruc- 
tions, he  made  his  prophecy  to  correspond  with  the  predictions  which  refer 
to  the  same  event  in  the  Scriptures  which  he  was  accustomed  to  read.  It 
may  have  occurred  to  the  reader,  however,  to  notice  the  entire  omission  of 
any  direct  reference  to  the  kingdom  which  the  prophets  have  spoken  of  in 
connection  with  the  coming  of  the  Lord  with  his  holy  angels.  Well,  now, 
this  very  omission  of  direct  reference  to  the  kingdom  is,  in  fact,  a  strong  con- 
firmation that  he  was  speaking  of  the  same  time  and  events.  And  this  will 
appear  from  the  manner  in  which  he  does  refer  to  the  kingdom,  as  a  mat- 
ter well  understood,  and  needing  no  direct  statement.  Let  the  reader  now  turn 
to  the  closing  up  of  the  discourse,  in  chap.  xxv.  31.  This  verse  speaks  of  his 
coming  in  glory,  with  all  his  holy  angels  with  him,  and  corresponds  with  the  de- 
scription of  his  coming  in  Dan.  vii.  13:  "I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and, 
behold,  one  like  the  SON  OF  MAN  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the 
Ancient  of  days,  [described  verses  9,  10,]  and  they  brought  him  near  before 
him." 

Now,  observe,  he  did  not  come  as  a  king :  he  came  as  the  Son  of  man.  And 
they  brought  him  near  before  the  Ancient  of  days,  for  the  purpose,  as  it  appears 
from  what  followed,  of  inaugurating  him  in  the  kingdom, ;  which  was  done  in 
the  presence,  and  by  the  ministry  of,  the  innumerable  angels,  as  appears  from 
the  context.  Now,  notice  what  follows,  as  the  result  and  proof  of  this  inau- 
guration: Verse  14:  "And  there  was  GIVEN  him  DOMINION,  and  GLOBY,  and  a 
KINGDOM,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him :  his  domin- 
ion is  an  EVERLASTING  dominion,  WHICH  SHALL  NOT  PASS  AWAY,  and  his  KINGDOM, 
that  [kingdom]  which  shall  not  be  destroyed.1'  Now  it  is  certain  that  this  does 
not  relate  to  his  mediatorial  kingdom,  for  two  reasons :  1.  The  context  shows 
that  the  whole  transaction  is  future,  and  relates  to  the  judgment.  2.  All  will 
agree  that  the  mediatorial  kingdom  will  pass  away :  that  it  will  last  only  du- 
ring the  present  dispensation  of  grace. 

We  have,  then,  this  remarkable  fact,  that  the  vision  of  Daniel  (chapter  vii.) 
relates  to  the  INAUGURATION  OF  THE  LORD  JESUS  INTO  HIS  EVERLASTING  KINGDOM  I 
And  we  have  also  another  fact, — that  he  first  came,  as  the  Son  of  man,  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  was  then  with  great  solemnity 
and  glory,  (verses  9,  10,)  formally  inducted  into  office  as  King  of  the  dominion 
then  given  to  him.  Consequently,  after  that,  his  revelation  to  the  world  would 


APPENDIX.  431 

be  in  his  kingly  office  and  glory.  Let  the  reader  now  particularly  notice  how 
perfectly  our  Lord's  discourse  conforms  to  this  order,  and  proceeds  upon  the 
supposition  that  the  principal  facts  would  be  understood  without  a  direct 
statement  of  them. 

First.  (Chap.  xxiv.  30.)  The  sign  of  the  SON  OF  MAN  would  appear  in  heaven. 
Thejirst  appearance  would  not  be  as  the  Son  of  God,  in  divine  majesty  and 
glory ;  but  in  some  way  denoting  his  human  nature  and  relationship,  as  the 
Son  of  man.  This  could  not  probably  imply  much  power  and  glory. 

But  this  part  of  the  scene  should  be  viewed  by  "  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth," 
and  they  would  witness,  with  grief  and  terror,  the  solemn  inauguration  of  the 
Son  of  man  into  his  kingly  office  and  glory.  Then  they  would  mourn,  for 
they  would  at  once  understand  the  hopelessness  of  their  condition.  The  next 
scene  would  be  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  as  King,  in  the  glory  of  his 
father,  and  of  the  holy  angels,  by  virtue  of  his  kingly  office. 

Notice,  also,  how  this  is  implied  in  the  closing  part  of  his  discourse :  not  a 
word  has  been  mentioned  about  his  kingly  office ;  but  when  the  time  comes  to 
speak  of  it,  in  the  regular  order  of  the  prophecy,  then  it  is  mentioned,  as  a 
matter  of  course, — as  a  thing  understood,  though  not  before  referred  to  1 

Chap.  xxv.  31 :  "When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  IN  HIS  GLORY,  [which  was 
given  to  him,  Dan.  vii.  14,]  and  all  the  holy  angels  WITH  HIM,*  THEN  shall  he  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  his  glory :  [his  glorious  throne.]  82.  Before  hina  shall  be 
gathered  all  nations ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another."  This 
refers  to  the  judgment  which  he  now  performs.  Verse  34 :  "  Then  shall  the 
KING  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
KINGDOM  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

Now,  here  are  two  things  very  remarkable :  1.  The  introduction  of  the 
title  King,  and  the  reference  to  the  kingdom,  as  matters  of  course,  without 
any  previous  reference  to  them,  excepting  the  prefatory  remark  in  the  para- 
ble of  the  virgins.  2.  It  is  remarkable  that  just  in  this  connection,  subsequent 
to  the  judgment,  or  separation,  of  the  good  and  the  bad,  the  "blessed  of  the 
Father"  are  invited  to  "INHERIT  THE  KINGDOM."  But  this  perfectly  agrees  with 
the  order  of  events  in  Daniel's  vision;  for  his  vision  continued,  (verse  22,) 
"  Until  the  Ancient  of  days  came,f  and  judgment  was  given  to  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High ;  and  the  time  came  that  the  SAINTS  POSSESSED  THE  KINGDOM  1 " 

Daniel  also  refers  to  the  same  thing  in  another  connection :  Verse  26 :  "But 
the  judgment  shall  sit,  and  they  shall  take  away  his  \  dominion  to  consume  and 
to  destroy  it  unto  the  end.  27.  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness 
of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heavent  SHALL  BE  GIVEN  TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE 

SAINTS  OF  THE  MOST  HlGH." 

The  correspondency  of  Daniel's  prophecy  and  our  Lord's  might  be  shown 
still  further ;  but  sufficient  has  been  said  to  guide  the  Bible  student  in  his  fur- 
ther researches.  It  only  remains,  touching  this  i>oint,  to  show  briefly  how 
our  Lord  has  illustrated  his  own  prophecy,  by  the  parables  recorded  in  the 

*  They  first  appeared  with  the  Ancient  of  days.    Dan.  vii.  10. 

t  Referred  to  again,  but  the  inauguratory  scene  omitted,  as  having  been  sufficiently  described 
previously. 
$  The  little  Horn. 


432  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

13th  chapter  of  Matthew.  "What  we  are  now  called  to  read  forms  no  part  of 
the  parables,  however,  but  is  his  own  statement  of  the  application  and  meaning 
of  the  parables.  Here  are  no  figures ;  no  parables  to  explain  parables ;  but  a 
literal  application  of  figurative  illustrations.  They  inquired  for  his  meaning  in 
the  parable  of  the  tares,  verse  36.  What  follows  is  his  explanation.  Verse 
37 :  "And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  He  that  soweth  the  good  seed  is 
the  Son  of  man.  38.  The  field  is  the  world ;  the  good  seed  are  the  children 
of  the  kingdom  ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one.  39.  The 
enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  devil ;  the  HARVEST  is  the  END  OF  THE  WORLD  ;  and 
the  reapers  are  the  angels.  40.  As  therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned 
in  the  fire ;  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  this  world.  41.  The  Son  of  man  shall  send 
forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  KINGDOM  all  things  that  offend, 
and  them  which  do  iniquity,  42.  And  shall  cast  them  into  a  furnace  of  fire ; 
there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  43.  THEN  shall  the  righteous 
shine  forth  as  the  sun  IN  THE  KINGDOM  OF  THEIR  FATHER."  It  remained  peculiarly 
the  kingdom  of  the  Father  until  this  time,  when  it  was  given  to  the  Son,  and 
this  harmonized  the  expressions,  in  their  application  to  that  time  of  transfer, 
"his  kingdom,"  i.  e.  Christ's,  (verse 41,)  and  their  father's  kingdom,  (ver.  43.) 
Taking  all  the  Scriptures  in  connection,  it  throws  light  on  the  somewhat 
obscure  references  to  the  coming  of  God  the  Father,  and  the  coming  of  Christ  the 
Son.  The  vision  of  Daniel  shows  how  to  understand  both  expressions :  they 
appear  to  relate  in  part  to  the  inauguration. 

NOTEK.    (Page3S8.) 

"  The  last  trump."    This  appears  to  be  directly  referred  to  in  Rev.  x.  5 
"  And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth,  lifted  up 
his  hand  to  heaven,     6.  And  sware  by  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever, 

.     .     THAT  THERE  SHOULD  BE  TIME  NO  LONGER.     7.  But  in  the  days  of  the  voice 

Of  the  SEVENTH  ANGEL,  WHEN  HE  SHALL  BEGIN  TO  SOUND,  THE  MYSTERY  OF  GOD  SHALL 
BE  FINISHED,  AS  HE  HATH    DECLARED    TO  HIS  SERVANTS  THE   PROPHETS." 

Then  we  have  the  sounding  by  the  angel  specifically  referred  to  :  Chap.  xi. 
15.  "And  the  SEVENTH  ANGEL  SOUNDED  ;  and  there  were  great  voices  in  heaven, 
saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever.  18.  And  the  nations  were  an- 
gry,* and  thy  wrath  is  come,  AND  THE  TIME  OF  THE  DEAD,  THAT  THEY  SHOULD  BE 
JUDGED,  and  that  thou  shouldst  give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  prophets,  and  to 
the  saints,  and  to  them  that  fear  thy  name,  small  and  great ;  and  shouldst  destroy 
them  that  destroy  the  earth"\  Here,  in  the  Gth  verse  of  the  former  quotation, 
we  have  the  oath,  "  that  there  shall  be  time  no  longer."  Time  is  now  filled  up ; 
there  is  nothing  more  to  be  added ;  it  is  "THE  FULLNESS  OF  TIMES."  In  the  next 
verse,  we  have  the  declaration  that  when  the  SEVENTH  ANGEL  BEGINS  TO  SOUND, 
THE  MYSTERY  OF  GOD  SHOULD  BE  FINISHED  as  he  hath  declared  it  unto  his  servants 
the  prophets.^ 

*  The  nations  were  not  all  converted,  then,  it  seems. 
t  Bead  this  in  connection  with  the  2d  Psalm. 

$  We  are  then  to  examine  what  the  prophets  have  said  about  this  mystery  of  God.  And  we 
Bhall  find  it  is  all  complete  at  the  very  period  now  under  notice. 


APPENDIX.  433 

When  the  seventh  angel  sounded,  the  great  voices  in  heaven  said,  The  king- 
doms of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ.  But 
the  nations  were  angry.  It  is  certain,  then,  that  by  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
becoming  Christ's,  rr  is  NOT  MEANT  THAT  THE  NATIONS  WERE  CONVERTED  ;  else,  why 
should  they  be  angry  ?  And,  as  the  quotation  shows,  this  took  place  in  con- 
nection with  "  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged,  and  of  giving  re- 
ward to  the  saints,  and  of  destroying  them  that  destroyed  the  earth.  And  yet  all 
this  is  connected  with  the  second  advent  of  Christ,  as  we  learn  from  1  Cor. 
xv.  And  this  finishing  up  the  MYSTERY  of  GOD,  as  foretold  by  the  prophets,  at 
the  FULLNESS  OF  THE  TIMES,  is  plainly  alluded  to  by  St.  Paul,  (Eph.  i  9.)  "Hav- 
ing made  known  unto  us  the  MYSTERY  OF  HIS  WILL,  10.  That  in  the  DISPENSA- 
TION OF  THE  FULLNESS  OF  TIMES,  HE  MIGHT  GATHER  TOGETHER  IN  ONE  ALL  THINGS  IN 

CHRIST,  BOTH  WHICH  ARE  IN  HEAVEN,  AND  WHICH  ARE  ON  EARTH,  IN  HIM."  * 

We  see  how  the  whole  matter  is  identified  not  only  with  the  time  of  gath- 
ering together  all  that  are  in  Christ,  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  but  also  to  the 
fact  of  their  gathering,  and  of  raising  the  dead  to  give  reward  to  the  saints,  at 
the  time  of  destroying  the  wicked  ;  all  of  which  occurs  at  the  period  when  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world  come  into  the  hands  of  Christ.  This  Jills  up  the  time,  and 
finishes  the  mystery  of  God  which  has  been  foretold  by  the  prophets.  And  it  is 
all  connected  with  the  second  coining  of  Christ.  How  appropriate,  with  this 
understanding,  is  the  declaration  of  Peter,  (Acts  iii.  21,)  "  Whom  [Christ]  the 
Jteavens  must  receive,  UNTIL  THE  TIMES  OF  RESTITUTION  OF  ALL  THINGS  WHICH  GOD 

HATH  SPOKEN  BY  THE  MOUTH  OF  ALL  HIS  HOLY  PROPHETS,  SINCE  THE  WORLD  BEGAN. 

NOTE  L.     (Page  339.) 

The  order  of  these  occurrences  appears  to  be  this :  1.  The  Ancient  of  Days,* 
with  all  the  holy  angels,  and  the  saints,  appear  visibly  in  the  clounds  of  hea- 
ven, shining  with  the  effulgence  ot  their  own  glory,  after  the  darkening  of 
the  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  2.  Christ,  as  the  Son  of  man,  is  brought  before  him, 
and  solemnly  inaugurated  into  his  everlasting  kingdom,  which  then  passes 
formally  into  his  hands.  Dan.  vii.  14.  3.  Then  Christ,  with  all  the  angels, 
and  the  souls  of  the  saints,  descends  toward  the  earth,  with  a  great  shout^ 
with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trumpet  of  God  sounding.  4) 
Christ,  for  a  time  remains  in  the  clouds,  sends  the  saints  down  to  the  earth, 
probably,  under  the  guidance  of  the  angels,  to  the  various  places  where  their 
bodies  are  sleeping,  and  then  the  word  that  wakes  the  dead  and  changes  the 
living,  is  sounded,  which  in  an  atom  of  time  effects  the  resurrection  and  the 
transfiguration.  5.  Then  all  are  caught  up  into  the  clouds  together,  by  the 
ministry  of  the  angels,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air.  6.  There  they  remain 
while  the  renovating  fire  is  purging  the  earth,  and  destroying  the  wicked. 
7.  Then  the  heavens  and  the  earth  are  immediately  restored  to  their  original 
condition.  8.  Christ  reigns  as  king  in  the  new  heavens  and  earth,  and  the 
aaints  reign  with  him. 

In  this  way  they  enter  the  everlasting  kingdom.     How  long  a  time,  as  we 

*  Bead  the  connections,  particularly  as  far  as  to  the  14th  verse, 
t  See  Dan.  vii. 

28 


4r34  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

reckon  time,  these  events  will  occupy  in  transpiring,  we  cannot  ascertain,  for 
God  has  not  revealed  it.  It  would  seem,  from  some  portions  of  the  Scripture, 
that  the  earth  is  not  to  be  burnt  up,  or  annihilated,  but  only  renovated ;  as 
the  flood  did  not  annihilate  the  earth,  but  only  produced  great  physical 
changes. 

tfOTE  M.      (Page  349.) 

In  Jer.  xxiii.  16,  this  same  title  is  applied  to  JERUSALEM.  But  this  did  not 
render  it  any  the  less  appropriate  for  the  Messiah ;  for  the  Jews  were  accus- 
tomed to  incorporate  the  names  of  the  Lord  with  the  names  of  persons  and 
places,  as  solemn  religious  memorials  of  divine  interpositions.  And  they  thus 
employed  such  titles  for  the  very  reason  that  they  were  the  proper  names  of 
the  Divine  Being. 

In  Exod.  xvii.  15,  we  read,  "  And  Moses  built  an  altar,  and  called  the  name 
of  it  JEHOVAH-NISSI,"  or  "THE  LORD  MT  BANNER,"  —  alluding  to  the  victory  over 
Amalek,  which  had  been  obtained  through  the  signal  interposition  of  Jeho- 
vah. We  read,  in  Jud.  vi.  24,  "  Then  Gideon  built  an  altar  there  unto  the 
Lord,  and  called  it  JEHOVAH-SHALEM,"  or  "  THE  LORD  SEND  PEACE," 

Gen.  xxii.  14,  "And  Abraham  called  the  name  of  that  place  JEHOVAH- 
JIREH,"  or  "THE  LORD  WILL  PROVIDE,"— in  view  of  the  divine  interposition  in 
providing  a  lamb  for  the  sacrifice. 

Finally,  not  to  multiply  examples,  in  Ezek.  xlviii.  35,  where  the  prophet 
speaks  of  the  period  which  we  are  now  considering,  we  read,  (referring  to 
Jerusalem,)  "  It  was  round  about  eighteen  thousand  measures ;  and  the  name 
of  the  city  from  that  day  shall  be,  JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH,"  "  THE  LORD  is  THERE." 

There  will  be  both  custom  and  propriety  in  applying  the  divine  name  to 
Jerusalem,  when  it  shall  be  built  up  to  be  "  thrown  down  no  more  forever." 
In  that  day,  in  view  of  the  Messiah  having  redeemed  them  from  all  iniquity, 
and  made  the  city  truly  and  permanently  holy,  it  will  be  both  scriptural  and 
appropriate  to  call  the  name  of  the  place  "  JEHOVAH  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS."  For- 
JEHOVAH  MESSIAH,  the  RIGHTEOUS  BRANCH,  will  then  be  "RAISED  UP  UNTO  DAVID  :" 
and,  as  "  KING,"  "  shall  reign  and  prosper,  executing  judgment  and  righteous- 
ness in  the  earth." 

NOTE  K.     (Pages  357,  362.) 

Some  are  ready  to  cavil  and  object,  whenever  the  future  residence  of  the 
f  edeemed  from  the  earth  is  represented  as  a  literal,  material  place ;  not  re- 
membering, it  would  seem,  that  this  is  the  usual  representation  of  the  place 
in  the  Scriptures.  And  they  appear  to  forget,  too,  that  man,  in  his  original 
glory,  walking  and  conversing  with  his  Creator,  was  a  being  with  a  body  as 
well  as  a  soul ;  that  he  rejoiced  in  communion  with  the  Lord,  in  the  literal 
Eden  where  he  was  originally  placed,  and  from  which,  after  he  sinned,  he 
was  driven.  What  do  we  sinners  want  more  than  original  immortality  and 
glory,  with  uninterrupted,  and  everlasting  enjoyment  of  God's  presence  and 
favor  ? 

If,  by  the  resurrection,  all  the  effects  of  sin  are  perfectly  and  perpetually 
removed,  and  our  bo  dies,  like  our  Lord's,  shall  be  glorious  and  incorruptible, 


APPENDIX.  435 

shall  we  complain  and  cavil  because  there  is  nothing  better  ?  Do  we  demand 
a  premium  for  having  sinned  ?  Do  we  require  to  be  better  conditioned  than  if 
we  had  never  transgressed  ?  Where  has  God  promised  to  make  sinners  bet- 
ter and  happier  than  man  would  have  been  if  sin  had  not  been  committed  ? 

If  man  was  originally  perfectly  holy,  perfectly  happy,  free  from  all  disease 
and  disquietude,  and  blessed  with  familiar  communion  with  his  Maker ;  why 
should  we  feel  such  a  shrinking  from  the  idea  of  having  a  local  habitation, 
adapted  to  the  spiritualized,  yet  —  of  necessity  —  still  material  body,  with 
which  all  will  be  furnished  in  the  resurrection  state  ?  The  new  heavens  and 
the  new  earth  will  undoubtedly  be  indescribably  and  inconceivably  beautiful 
and  glorious ;  but  they  will  be  earth  and  heaven  still. 

The  reader  is  earnestly  advised  to  do  himself  the  favor  to  read  DR.  CHAL- 
MERS' Sermon  on  the  New  Heavens  and  the  New  Earth.  As  all  may  not  have 
at  hand  the  Sermon  referred  to,  it  may  be  expedient  to  give  some  portions 
of  it,  that  the  reader  may  be  informed  of  the  Doctor's  view  of  this  subject : 

"It  were  venturing  on  the  region  of  conjecture  to  affirm,  whether,  if  Adam 
had  not  fallen,  the  earth  that  we  now  tread  upon,  would  have  been  the  ever- 
lasting abode  of  him  and  his  posterity.  But  certain  it  is,  that  man,  at  the 
first,  had  for  his  place  this  world,  and,  at  the  same  time,  for  his  privilege,  an 
unclouded  fellowship  with  God,  and,  for  his  prospect,  an  immortality,  which 
death  was  neither  to  intercept  nor  put  an  end  to.  He  was  terrestrial  in  re- 
spect of  condition,  and  yet  celestial  in  respect  both  of  character  and  enjoy- 
ment. His  eye  looked  outwardly  on  a  landscape  of  earth,  while  his  heart 
breathed  upwardly  in  the  love  of  heaven.  And  though  he  trode  the  solid 
platform  of  our  world,  and  was  compassed  about  with  its  horizon  —  still  was 
he  within  the  circle  of  God's  favored  creation,  and  took  his  place  among  the 
freemen  and  the  denizens  of  the  great  spiritual  commonwealth.  This  may 
serve  to  rectify  an  imagination,  of  which  we  think  that  all  must  be  conscious 
—  as  if  the  grossness  of  materialism  was  only  for  those  who  had  degenerated 
into  the  grossness  of  sin  ;  and  that,  when  a  spiritualizing  process  had  purged 
away  all  our  corruption,  then,  by  the  stepping  stones  of  a  death  and  resur- 
rection, we  should  be  borne  away  to  some  ethereal  region,  where  sense,  and 
body,  and  all  in  the  shape  either  of  audible  sound,  or  of  tangible  substance, 
were  unknown.  And  hence  that  strangeness  of  impression  which  is  felt  by 
you,  should  the  supposition  be  offered,  that  in  the  place  of  eternal  blessedness 
there  will  be  ground  to  walk  upon  ;  or  scenes  of  luxuriance  to  delight  the 
corporeal  senses ;  or  the  kindly  intercourse  of  friends  talking  familiarly,  and 
by  articulate  converse  together ;  or,  in  short,  anything  that  has  the  least  re- 
semblance to  a  local  territory,  filled  with  various  accommodations,  and  peo- 
pled over  i  ts  whole  extent  by  creatures  formed  like  ourselves  —  having  bodies 
euch  as  we  now  wear,  and  faculties  of  perception,  and  thought,  and  mutual 
communication,  such  as  we  now  exercise.  The  common  imagination  that  we 
have  of  paradise  on  the  other  side  of  death,*  is,  that  of  a  lofty,  aerial  region, 
where  the  inmates  float  in  ether,  or  are  mysteriously  suspended  upon  nothing 
— -  where  all  the  warm  and  sensible  accompaniments  which  give  such  an  ex- 

*  Chalmers  is  certainly  speaking  of  the  resurrection  state,  as  the  previous  paragraphs  show. 


436  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

pression  of  strength,  and  life,  and  coloring,  to  our  present  habitation,  are  at- 
tenuated into  a  sort  of  spiritual  element  that  is  meagre,  and  imperceptible, 
and  utterly  uninviting  to  mortals  here  below  —  where  every  vestige  of  mate- 
rialism is  done  away,  and  nothing  left  but  certain  unearthly  scenes  that  have 
no  power  of  allurement,  and  certain  unearthly  ecstacies,  with  which  it  is  felt 
impossible  to  sympathize.  The  holders  of  this  imagination  forget,  all  the 
while,  that  really  there  is  no  essential  connection  between  materialism  and 
sin  —  that  the  world  which  we  now  inhabit,  had  all  the  amplitude  and  solidity 
of  its  present  materialism,  before  sin  entered  into  it  —  that  God  so  far,  on 
that  account,  from  looking  slightly  upon  it,  after  it  had  received  the  last 
touch  of  his  creating  hand,  reviewed  the  earth,  and  the  waters,  and  the  fir- 
mament, and  all  the  green  herbage,  with  the  living  creature^,  and  the  man 
whom  he  had  raised  in  dominion  over  them,  and  he  saw  every  thing  that  he 
had  made,  and  behold,  it  was  all  very  good.  They  forget  that  on  the  birth 
of  materialism,  when  it  stood  out  in  the  freshness  of  those  glories  which  the 
great  Architect  of  Nature  had  impressed  upon  it,  that  then  "the  morning 
stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy."  They  forget 
the  appeals  that  are  made  everywhere  in  the  Bible  to  this  material  workman- 
ship —  and  how,  from  the  face  of  these  visible  heavens,  and  the  garniture  of 
this  earth  that  we  tread  upon,  the  greatness  and  the  goodness  of  God  are  re- 
flected on  the  view  of  his  worshipers.  J*To,  my  brethren,  tjie  object  of  the 
administration  we  sit  under,  is  to  extirpate  sin,  but  it  is  not  to  sweep  away 
mrterialism." 

He  also  argues  the  question  from  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body. 
Some  entertaining  the  notion  that  a  material  heaven  and  earth  and  a  mate- 
rial body  will  be  rather  degrading  to  the  immortal  being,  he  thus  continues 
his  eloquent  discourse:  "But,  as  a  proof  of  some  metaphysical  delusion  upon 
this  subject,  the  product,  perhaps,  of  a  wrong,  though  fashionable  philosophy, 
it  would  appear,  that  to  embody  the  spirit  is  not  the  stepping  stone  to  its 
degradation,  but  to  its  preferment.  The  last  day  will  be  a  day  of  triumph  to 
the  righteous  —  because  the  day  of  reentrance  of  the  spirit  to  its  much-loved 
abode,  where  its  faculties,  so  far  from  being  shut  up  in  captivity,  will  find 
their  free  and  kindred  development  in  such  material  organs  as  are  suited  to 
them.  The  fact  of  the  resurrection  proves,  that,  with  man  at  least,  the  state 
of  disembodied  spirit  is  a  state  of  unnatural  violence  —  and  that  the  resur- 
rection of  his  body  is  an  essential  step  to  the  highest  perfection  of  which  he 
is  susceptible.  And  it  is  indeed  an  homage  to  that  materialism,  which  many 
are  for  expunging  from  the  future  state  of  the  universe  altogether  —  that  ere 
the  immortal  soul  of  man  has  reached  the  ultimate  glory  and  blessedness 
which  are  designed  for  it,  it  must  return  and  knock  at  that  very  grave  where 
lie  the  mouldered  remains  of  the  body  which  it  wore,  and  there  inquisition 
must  be  made  for  the  flesh,  and  the  sinews,  and  the  bones,  which  the  power 
of  corruption  has  perhaps  for  centuries  before,  assimilated  to  the  earth  that 
is  around  them  —  and  there  the  minute  atoms  must  be  reassembled  into  a 
structure  that  bears  upon  it  the  form  and  the  lineaments,  and  the  general  as- 
pect of  a  man." 

This  renewed  and  immortal  man,  composed  of  a  spiritual  and  a  material  na- 


APPENDIX.  437 

ture  united,  must  now  have  an  appropriate  residence.  Chalmers  shall  speak 
again :  "  And  we  do  hail  the  information  of  our  text,  that  after  the  dissolu- 
tion of  its  present  framework,  it  will  again  be  varied  and  decked  out  anew  in 
all  the  graces  of  its  unfading  verdure,  and  of  its  unbounded  variety  —  that 
in  addition  to  our  DIRECT  AND  PERSONAL  VIEW  OF  THE  DEITY,  WHEN  HE  COMES  DOWN 
TO  TABERNACLE  WITH  MEN,  we  shall  also  have  the  reflection  of  him  in  a  lovely 
mirror  of  his  own  workmanship,  and  instead  of  being  transported  to  some  abode 
of  dimness  and  mystery,  so  remote  from  human  experience,  as  to  be  beyond  all 
comprehension,  we  shall  walk  forever  in  a  land  replenished  with  those  sensible  de- 
lights, and  those  sensible  glories,  which,  we  doubt  not,  will  lie  most  profusely  scat- 
tered over  the  '  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.''  "  . 

But  will  not  this  be  Mahometanism  ? 

"  But  though  a  paradise  of  sense,  it  will  not  be  a  paradise  of  sensuality. 
Though  not  so  unlike  the  present  world  as  many  apprehend  it,  there  will  be 
one  point  of  total  dissimilarity  betwixt  them.  It  is  not  the  entire  substitution 
of  spirit  for  matter,  that  will  distinguish  the  future  economy  from  the  present. 
JBut  it  will  be  the  entire  substitution  of  righteousness  for  sin.  It  is  this  which 
signalizes  the  Christian  from  the  Mahometan  paradise  —  not  that  sense,  and 
substance,  and  splendid  imagery,  and  the  glories  of  a  visible  creation  seen 
with  bodily  eyes,  are  excluded  from  it  — but  that  all  which  is  vile  in  princi- 
ple, or  voluptuous  in  impurity,  will  be  utterly  excluded  from  it.  There  will 
be  a  firm  earth,  as  we  have  at  present,  and  a  heaven  stretched  over  it,  as  we 
have  at  present :  and  it  is  not  by  the  absence  of  these,  but  by  the  absence  of 
sin,  that  the  abodes  of  immortality  will  be  characterized.  There  will  be  both 
heavens  and  earth,  it  would  appear,  in  the  next  gi'eat  administration — and 
with  this  speciality  to  mark  it  from  the  present  one,  that  it  will  be  a  heaven 
and  an  earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness!" 

This  long  extract  will  be  welcomed  in  this  connection,  not  only  for  the 
beauty  and  eloquence  of  its  composition,  but  for  its  perfect  relevancy  to  the 
subject  in  hand.  This  is  the  way  to  interpret  Scripture  ;  not  according  to  the 
fancies  of  men,  but  according  to  the  teachings  of  Inspiration.  This  discourse 
of  Chalmers  is  eminently  valuable,  as  well  for  the  correctness  of  its  philoso- 
phy, as  for  the  evident  scripturalness  of  its  divinity. 

NOTE  0.     (Page  366.) 

The  theory  of  interpretation  adopted  in  this  Treatise  is  the  only  theory 
that  harmonizes  the  chronology  of  the  events  which  are  described  in  the 
various  portions  of  the  Bible.  For  example  —  the  coming  of  our  Lord  —  the 
BRANCH  —  the  ENSIGN  —  the  SHEPHERD  —  the  KING  —  the  DAVID  —  the  PRINCE, 
of  the  ancient  prophecies ;  and  the  SETTING  UP  OF  HIS  EVERLASTING  KINGDOM 
OVER  THE  House  OF  ISRAKL,  when  the  heathen  are  given  to  him  for  his  inherit- 
ance, to  rule  with  a  rod  ef  iron,  to  dash  in  pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel*  the 
gathering  together  of  his  elect  —  of  all  his  elect  —  to  enjoy  his  presence  and 
glory  ;  the  creation  of  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  ;  the  resurrection  of  the 
righteous  dead,  and  the  coming  down  of  the  new  Jerusalem  from  God  out  of 
heaven  ;  and  the  tabernacling  of  the  Lord  for  ever  in  the  midst  of  his  people  ;— 
all  these  events  are  to  be  accomplished  in  connection,  or  at  the  same  gene- 


438  HASMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

ral  period*  Now  it  requires  but  a  little  comparing  together  of  Scripture  with 
Scripture  to  determine  this.  We  have  seen,  (1.)  that  the  resurrection  of  Israel 
and  their  fined  universal  pathering  together  are  to  occur  in  connection.  (See 
Ezek.  xxxvii.  11,  12,  13,  and  21,  22,  25.)  We  have  seen  (2.)  how  this  is  to  trans- 
pire ia  connection  with  the  reign  of  Messiah,  as  the  promised  DAVID,  in  his 
everlasting  kingdom.  (25,26.)  We  have  seen  (3.)  how  this  is  connected  with 
the  placing  of  the  sanctuary  in  their  midst  for  evermore.  (26.)  And  (4.)  how 
this  is  connected  with  his  tabernacle,  or  dwelling,  being  with  them  foreven 
(27.) — Now,  to  compare  with  other  prophecies,  a  little,  turn  to  Rev.  iii.  7. 
Here  Messiah  speaks  as  opening  his  kingdom  and  shutting  it ;  he  has  "  the 
key  of  David,"  And  he  evidently  promises  to  the  faithful  something  more 
than  merely  present  spiritual  or  temporal  rewards :  those  who  endure  to  the 
end  are  to  inherit  the  kingdom  of  their  Lord.  (Matt.  xxv.  34.)  This  is  the 
time  that  they  are  to  be  crowned.  (2  Tim.  iv.  8.)  Verse  11  refers  to  his 
coming  [with  the  key  of  David  —  v.  7]  to  crown  the  faithful.  Verse  12 
speaks,  firstly,  of  the  temple,  or  sanctuary,  that  is  to  be  in  their  midst  for 
e  vermore ;  and,  secondly,  of  the  New  Jerusalem  which  is  to  come  down  out  of 
heaven  from  God. 

Now,  in  Rev.  xxi.,  we  have  the  connections  of  these  events  more  clearly  ex- 
hibited. Verse  1  brings  to  view  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth.  Verse  2 
brings  to  view  the  new  Jerusalem  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  pre- 
pared as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband ;  which  is  still  further  described  in 
verses  10—21,  and  shown  to  be  the  church  of  Christ.  (Verse  9.)  By  the 
church  coming  down  out  of  heaven,  at  this  time,  can  be  meant  nothing  less  or 
more  than  the  coming  of  all  the  saints  with  Christ  when  he  comes,  "  and  the 
dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first ;"  or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  1  Cor.  xv.  23,  "  They 
that  are  Christ's  [shall  be  raised]  at  his  coming."  Their  souls,  which  haves 
—  since  death  —  been  with  God  in  heaven,  shall  then  come  with  Christ,  and 
be  again  connected  with  their  bodies  in  the  resurrection  state.  In  verse  3,  we 
have  the  tabernacle  of  God  with  men,  where  God  is  to  dwell  with  them,  and 
they  are  to  be  his  people,  and  he  is  to  be  their  God.  Compare  this  with 
Ezek.  xxxvii.  26,  27,  28. 

The  everlasting  residence  of  God's  people  is  represented  as  a  kingdom,  a 
city,  and  a  paradise.  Rev.  xxi.  leaves  us  in  no  doubt  of  the  fact  that  the 
church  in  the  resurrection  state  is  alluded  to.  (See  verses  4,  5.)  Yet,  com- 
pare verses  24,  25,  26,  27,  with  Isa,  Ix.  3,  5,  11,  14,  19,  20,  21,  22;  and  Rev. 
xxii.  5.  And  this  is  to  be  connected  with  his  coming :  Rev.  xxi.  3,  and  xx.  3, 
4,  7,  12,  20 ;  and  with  the  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth :  Isa.  Ixv.  17-25, 
and  Ixvi.  15-24. 

Yet  it  was  evidently  this  very  state  of  things  which  Peter  (2  Pet.  iii.  10-14,) 
had  in  view  when  he  said,  (verse  13,)  "Nevertheless,  we,  ACCORDING  TO  HIS 
PROMISE,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness" 
Now,  where  did  Peter  find  the  promise  to  God's  people  —  himself  and  the  rest — 
of  a  new  heaven  and  earth?  It  could  be  no  where  else  but  Isa.  li.  16,  and 
Ixv.  17,  and  Ixvi.  22.  Yet  in  all  these  places  it  is  so  directly  and  undeniably 
connected  with  the  conversion  and  restoration  of  Israel,  and  the  renewing  of 
their  father-land,  that  it  ought  not  to  be  considered  of  doubtful  application. 


APPENDIX.  439 

NOTE  P,    (Page  386.) 

It  is,  or  ought  to  be,  generally  known  that  the  doctrine  of  the  millennial 
reign  of  Christ  on  the  earth,  ushered  in  by  his  second  advent,  and  the  resur- 
rection of  the  saints,  was  generally  believed  by  the  primitive  Christians  who 
lived  just  after  the  apostolic  age.  The  successors  of  the  apostles,  and  those 
who  had  the  best  opportunities  for  becoming  acquainted  with  their  views,  ap- 
pear to  have  understood  the  book  of  Revelation  as  teaching  this  doctrine. 
And  so  evidently  to  the  primitive  church  did  the  Revelation  favor  this  doc- 
trine ;  so  accustomed  were  they  to  appeal  to  this  book  to  sustain  their  views 
on  this  subject,  that  the  first  serious  attempt  to  disprove  the  genuineness  of 
the  book,  was  for  the  reason  that  it  so  evidently  taught  the  millennial  doc- 
trine, as  held  by  the  Christian  Fathers,  that  if  the  book  was  acknowledged  to 
be  the  writing  of  St.  John,  the  opposers  of  the  millennium  could  not  maintain 
their  ground  in  the  controversy ;  so  they  endeavored  to  bring  discredit  upon 
this  portion  of  the  Scriptures.  It  is  important  to  recollect,  however,  that  this 
did  not  occur  until  some  time  in  the  third  century.  Up  to  that  period  the 
book  of  Revelation  appears  to  have  been  generally,  perhaps  universally,  re- 
ceived by  the  church  as  the  production  of  St.  John ;  and  they  also  seem  to 
have  understood  it  to  teach  the  millennial  reign  of  Christ. 

In  "HORNE'S  INTRODUCTION,"  we  find  this  truth  distinctly  stated ;  though 
Mr.  Home  himself  seems  not  to  have  favored  the  ancient  millennial  doctrines, 
Speaking  of  the  book  of  Revelation,  he  says,  "  It  is  a  remarkable  circumstance 
that  the  authenticity  of  this  book  was  very  generally,  if  not  universally,  ac- 
knowledged during  the  first  two  centuries,  and  yet  in  the  third  century  it  began 
to  be  questioned.  This  seems  to  have  been  occasioned  by  some  absurd  notions 
respecting  the  millennium,  which  a  few  well  meaning  but  fanciful  expositors 
grounded  on  this  book  :  which  notions  their  opponents  injudiciously  and  pre- 
sumptuously endeavored  to  discredit,  by  denying  the  authenticity  of  the  book 
itself." 

Now  it  seems  exceedingly  improbable  that  a  serious  attempt  should  have 
been  made  to  bring  discredit  upon  a  portion  of  the  Scriptures,  which  had  not 
been  questioned  during  the  first  two  centuries,  merely  because  "  a  few  well 
meaning  but  fanciful  expositors"  had  used  it  to  sustain  their  fanciful  views. 
In  such  a  case  it  is  likely  that  a  much  easier,  and  a  much  safer  method  would 
have  been  pursued  by  the  opposers  of  the  millennial  views.  They  would 
have  opposed  the  many  to  the  "few"  expositors;  and  the  solid,  rational  ones 
to  the  "fanciful."  It  appears  very  certain  that  the  millennial  doctrine  was 
too  successfully  defended  by  this  book ;  and  the  advocates  of  the  doctrine 
were  too  numerous,  and — with  the  aid  of  Revelation  —  too  potent  for  their 
opponents ;  and  hence  the  endeavor  to  deprive  them  of  a  source  of  arguments 
which  could  not  be  successfully  answered. 

But  who  were  these  "few  well  meaning  but  fanciful  expositors"  that  could 
not  be  overcome  in  argument,  without  first  depriving  them  of  a  portion  of 
the  word  of  God?  They  were,  in  some  instances,  the  most  immediate,  and 
the  most  eminent,  of  the  successors  of  the  apostles  in  the  government  and  in- 
struction of  the  church.  They  were,  in  their  day,  as  the  Paleys,  Baxters,  Wes- 
leys,  Edwards,  Halls,  Chalmers,  <fcc.,  of  recent  times. 


440  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

Mr.  Barnes  does  not  favor  the  primitive  millennial  doctrine ;  but,  with  his 
usual  candor,  he  admits  that  "The  opinion  here  adverted  to  was  held  substan- 
tially by  Papias,  Justin  Martyr,  Ireneus,  Tertullian,  and  others  among  the 
Christian  Fathers."  But  who  was  IRENEUS?  He  was  born  about  fifty  years 
after  St.  John  wrote  his  Revelation ;  and  in  A.  D.  178  he  was  Bishop  of  Lyons, 
in  France.  He  must  have  been  conversant  with  those  who  had  been  acquaint- 
ed with  St.  John.  Indeed,  we  are  distinctly  informed  that  he  was  "one  of 
POLYCARP'S  disciples."  HE  WAS  INSTRUCTED  IN  RELIGION  BY  ONE  OF  THE  MOST  HOLY 

AND    EMINENT    OF   THOSE  WHO  WERE  THEMSELVES  PERSONALLY    TAUGHT    BY    ST.  JOHN  ! 

And  who  was  PAPIAS  ?  Ireneus  informs  us  that  PAPIAS  was  "  a  disciple  of  ST. 
JOHN,  and  a  companion  O/POLYCARP!"  He  was  also  a  bishop.  The  disciple  of 
St.  John  could  not  have  been  ignorant  of  his  master's  views  on  so  important  a 
matter  as  the  millennial  reign  of  Christ.  Papias  himself  explains  how  he  be- 
came informed  of  the  teachings  of  the  holy  apostles.  He  says,  "  But  I  shall 
not  regret  to  subjoin  to  my  interpretations,  also  for  your  benefit,  whatsoever 
I  have  at  any  time  accurately  ascertained  and  treasured  up  in  my  memory, 
as  I  have  received  it  from  the  elders,  and  have  recorded  it  in  order  to  give  ad- 
ditional confirmation  to  the  truth,  by  my  testimony.  For  I  have  never,  like 
many,  delighted  to  hear  those  that  tell  many  things,  but  those  that  teach  the 
truth,  neither  those  that  record  foreign  precepts,  but  those  that  are  given  from 
the  Lord,  to  our  faith,  and  that  come  from  the  truth  itself.  But  if  I  met  any 
one  who  had  been  a  follower  of  the  elders  anywhere,  I  made  it  a  point  to  in- 
quire what  were  the  declaration  of  the  elders.  What  was  said  by  Andrew, 
Peter,  or  Philip.  What  by  Thomas,  James,  John,  Matthew,  or  any  other  of 
the  disciples  of  our  Lord ;  for  I  do  not  think  that  I  derived  so  much  benefit 
from  books  as  from  the  living  voice  of  those  that  are  still  surviving."  Euseb. 
Ecd.  Hist.,  B.  3,  c.  39. 

And  who  was  JUSTIN  MARTYR?  He  flourished  about  fifty  years  after  the 
death  of  St.  John ;  and  was  undoubtedly  acquainted  with  those  who  had  con- 
versed with  John,  and  heard  him  preach.  He  was  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 
voluminous  writers  of  the  primitive  church.  Eusebius  speaks  of  him  in  this 
manner,  "  This  Justin  has  left  us  many  monuments  of  a  mind  well  stored  with 
learning,  and  devoted  to  sacred  things,  replete  with  matter  profitable  in  every 
respect."  And  who  was  TERTULLIAN?  Born  A.  D.  160,  associating  with  those 
who  had  been  permitted  to  hear  the  immediate  successors  of  the  apostles,  ed- 
ucated in  the  true  Christian  doctrine,  and  finally  becoming  one  of  the  great 
champions  of  Christianity,  he  was  qualified  to  judge  correctly  in  the  impor- 
tant controversies  about  the  Christian  faith. 

And  all  these,  it  is  admitted,  —  PAPIUS,  JUSTIN  MARTYR,  IRENEUS,  and  TERTUL- 
LIAN, were  advocates  for  the  millennial  doctrine,  as  then  held  by  the  church 
generally.  Situated  as  they  were,  could  they  have  been  mistaken  in  so  im- 
portant a  matter  as  the  pre-millennial  advent  of  Christ,  and  the  resurrection 
of  the  saints? 

But  what  specifically  were  the  views  of  these  eminent  and  unimpeachable 
Fathers  of  the  primitive  church ?  "The  opinion  of  the  Christian  Fathers," 
eays  Mr.  Barnes,  "with  which  the  modern  'Literalists,'  as  they  are  called, 
eubstantially  coincide,  is  thus  stated  by  Mr.  Elliott:  'This  resurrection  is  to 


APPENDIX.  441 

be  literally  that  of  departed  saints  and  martyrs,  then  at  length  resuscitated  in 
the  body  from  death  and  the  grave,  its  time  to  synchronise  with,  or  follow  in- 
stantly after,  the  destruction  of  the  beast  Antichrist,  on  Christ's  personal  sec- 
ond advent ;  the  binding  of  Satan  to  be  an  absolute  restriction  of  the  power 
of  hell  from  tempting,  deceiving,  or  injuring  mankind,  throughout  a  literal 
period  of  a  thousand  years,  thence  calculated;  the  government  of  the  earth  du- 
ring the  continuance  to  be  administered  by  Christ  and  the  risen  saints — the 
latter  being  now  jrfavvsXoi — in  nature  like  angels;  and  under  it,  all  false 
religion  having  been  put  down,  the  Jews  and  saved  remnant  of  the  Gentiles 
been  converted  to  Christ,  the  earth  renovated  by  the  fire  of  Antichrist's  de- 
struction, and  Jerusalem  made  the  universal  capital,  there  will  be  a  realiza- 
tion on  earth  of  the  blessedness  depicted  in  the  Old  Testament  prophecies,  as 
well  perhaps  of  that  to  which  is  associated  with  the  new  Jerusalem  in  the  vis- 
ions of  the  Apocalypse  —  until  at  length  this  millennium  having  ended,  and 
Satan  gone  forth  to  deceive  the  nations,  the  final  consummation  will  follow ; 
the  new-raised  enemies  of  the  saints,  Gog  and  Magog,  be  destroyed  by  fire 
from  heaven :  and  then  the  general  resurrection  and  judgment  take  place,  the 
devil  and  his  servants  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire,  and  the  millennial  reign  of 
the  saints  extend  itself  into  one  of  eternal  duration."  See  Barnes  on  Revela- 
tion. 

"Whitby  has  made  a  strong  effort  to  prove  that  the  primitive  Christians 
during  the  first  three  centuries  were  not  all  believers  in  the  millennial  doc- 
trine. And  he  has  certainly  shown  that  the  doctrine  had  its  disbelievers  and 
opposers  from  the  very  first.  But  does  this  prove  that  the  millenarian  doc- 
trine was  not  the  true  and  generally  received  doctrine  of  the  primitive  church  ? 
Suppose  there  were  unbelievers  and  opposers :  —  what  doctrine  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  peculiar  to  Christianity,  has  ever  yet  attained  to  universal  ac- 
ceptance ?  Even  during  the  lifetime  of  Paul  there  were  some  who  opposed  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  and  overthrew  the  faith  of  some.  Is  it  therefore 
doubtful  whether  the  apostles  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead  ?  Some  disbelieved  in  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  some  disbelieved  in  his 
humanity  ;  but  are  we  willing  to  acknowledge  that  either  of  these  doctrines 
is  of  doubtful  origin  ?  Some  denied  justification  by  faith ;  and  some  at  fi^-st 
taught  the  necessity  of  circumcision ;  but  do  we  hesitate  to  speak  decidedly 
with  respect  to  what  was,  and  what  was  not,  the  true  orthodox  view  of  the 
general  church  ?  It  is  easy  to  perceive  from  Whitby's  own  statements  in  the 
case,  that  the  disbelievers  in  the  millenarian  doctrine  were  merely  the  ex- 
ceptions to  the  general  rule.  He  concludes  thus  : 

"  Here,  then,  we  may  evidently  discern  three  sorts  of  men :  1.  The  heretics, 
denying  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh,  and  the  millennium.  2.  The  exactly 
orthodox,  asserting  both  the  resurrection  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  upon  earth. 
3.  The  believers  who  consented  with  the  just,  and  yet  endeavored  to  allegorize, 
and  turn  into  metaphor  all  those  Scriptures  he  had  produced  for  a  proper  reign 
of  Christ,  and  who  had  sentiments  rather  agreeing  with  those  heretics  who  denied, 
than  those  exactly  orthodox  who  maintained,  this  reign  of  Christ  on  earth." 

Just  so:  Whitby  merits  our  gratitude  for  this  honest  conclusion.  The  HER- 
ETICS, who  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  Jlesh,  would  of  course  deny  the  mil- 


442  HAKMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

lennium  ;  for  the  millennium  implied  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  But  shall 
we  reject  a  doctrine  because  the  heretics  denied  it  in  order  to  maintain  their 
heresy  ?  The  heretics  were  not  the  church,  any  more  than  a  parasite  plant  is 
the  tree  which  it  disfigures.  As  to  the  rest,  they  were  of  two  classes :  1.  "  THE 
EXACTLY  ORTHODOX,  asserting  both  the  resurrection  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  upon 
eartJi.  2.  The  believers  who  consented  with  THE  JUST,  andy  et  endeavored  to  ALLEGOR- 
IZE and  turn  into  METAPHOR  all  those  Scriptures  he  had  produced  for  a  proper 
reign  of  Christ,  and  who  had  sentiments  rather  AGREEING  WITH  THE  HERETICS, 
who  denied,  than  those  EXACTLY  ORTHODOX  who  maintained,  this  reign  of  Christ 
on  the  earth."  Precisely ;  and  we  have  the  same  state  of  things  now :  there 
are  (1.)  the  open  heretics  who  oppose  the  sentiments  of  the  (2.)  exactly  ortho- 
dox, who  constitute  the  great  body  of  the  general  church.  Then  we  have  a 
class  of  (3.)  "believers"  who  "consent  with  the  just,"  in  relation  to  the  gen- 
uineness of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  authority  of  their  revelations ;  but,  alas 
for  them,  by  allegorizing  and  metaphorizing  all  such  portions  of  the  Bible  as, 
understood  literally,  would  overthrow  their  erroneous  doctrines,  they  hold 
"  sentiments  rather  agreeing  with  those  HERETICS"  than  with  those  "  EXACTLY  OR- 
THODOX!" "  There  is  no  new  thing  under  the  sun."  Just  as  it  is  now,  so  it  ap- 
pears to  have  been  at  first :  there  were  the  open  heretics,  radically  opposed  to 
the  orthodox,  and  answering  to  our  open  infidels.  And  there  were  the  pro- 
fessed believers,  consenting  with  the  orthodox  in  the  main,  but  by  a  system  of 
allegorical  and  metaphorical  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures,  they  maintained 
sentiments  more  in  agreement  with  the  heretics  than  with  the  orthodox  por- 
tion of  the  church  ;  thus  perfectly  corresponding  to  our  modern  Universalists, 
and  some  other  professed  "believers,"  but,  in  truth,  unbelievers  in  the  true 
doctrines  of  the  church  J 

Now,  to  close  this  unpleasant  review,  let  it  be  recollected,  (1.)  By  what 
portion  of  the  primitive  church  the  millenarian  doctrines  were  held;  and,  (2.) 
By  what  .methods  of  interpretation  the  disbelieving  "believers"  maintained 
their  disbelief  to  the  orthodox  teachings  of  the  church ;  and,  finally,  To  what 
result  their  allegorical  expositions  of  the  Scriptures  led  them.  One  word  fur- 
ther— To  which  of  the  three  divisions  will  the  opposers  of  the  primitive  mil- 
leuarian  doctrine  be  likely  to  be  attached! 

NOTE  Q.    (Page  397.) 

Relative  to  the  word  ^gvsa  rendered  generation,  it  may  be  expedient  to  say 
a  little  more  than  was  appropriate  in  the  Exposition. 

One  of  our  most  experienced  and  able  linguists  has  kindly  furnished  the 
following  observations.  "  fsvsa  ig  derived  from  an  old  verb  y£vu  from  which 
is  derived  the  later  form  yi^vofxai,  which  means,  primarily,  to  come  into  exist- 
ence, not  to  exist  originally,  which  is  expressed  by  sipi.  These  two  verbs  you 
will  observe  in  John  i.  1,  and  i.  3,  where  you  will  notice  the  distinction.  In 
Liddell  and  Scott's  Lexicon,  which  is  now  regarded  as  of  the  best  authority, 
we  have  the  following  definitions :  I.  Primary  meaning,  birth.  II.  Race,  de- 
scent. This  is  the  most  common  sense  in  Homer  and  the  early  writers.  It 
often  means,  in  Homer,  noble  birth.  III.  A  race,  a  generation,  of  which,  ac- 
cording to  Herodotus,  there  are  three  in  a  century ;  means,  sometimes,  also, 


APPENDIX.  443 

the  times.  IV.  Offspring,  descent.  This  meaning  is  not  found  in  Homer,  but 
is  a  post-Homeric  sense.  This  word  is  nearly  allied  to  the  neuter  noun  Wvof 
both  being  derived  from  the  same  verb,  only  from  different  roots  of  it.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  above  definitions,  the  meaning  a  people,  a  nation,  is  added. 
Sometimes  it  denotes  also  sex,  and  kind,  genus.  Plato  calls  the  elements  of  na- 
ture r<x  yew].  My  old  Schrevellius,  the  father  of  Greek  lexicons,  defines  the 
word  in  question,  genus,  progenies,  familia,  natio,  species,  and  adds,  Hinc  apud 
Gramm.  Anglice  gender.  My  other  English  lexicons  do  not  differ  essentially 
from  Liddell  and  Scott." 

It  will  be  evident  to  all  that  the  primary  signification,  to  come  into  existence, 
gives  character  to  all  the  secondary  and  accommodated  uses  of  the  word. 
The  leading  definitions,  family,  race,  descent,  progeny,  genus,  sufficiently  de- 
velop the  governing  idea  of  the  word.  There  may,  indeed,  be  three  genera- 
tions in  a  century  ;  but  the  idea  of  generation  does  not  so  much  respect  the 
duration  of  the  people's  existence,  as  the  fact  and  origin  of  it. 

It  is  barely  possible  that  the  word  in  question  was  used  by  our  Saviour  to 
mean  "  the  persons  then  living  ;  "  but  all  the  probabilities  are  against  it.  In 
the  foregoing  critical  observations  on  the  word,  it  will  be  perceived  that  all 
the  definitions  that  are  relevant  to  the  case,  are  favorable  to  the  conclusions 
adopted  in  this  Exposition,  and  unfavorable  to  the  use  of  the  term  which  is 
herein  objected  to. 

A  personal  examination  of  a  multitude  of  Lexicons  has  fully  satisfied  the 
author  that  the  proper  rendering  of  the  word  is  not  given  by  those  who  teach 
that  it  means  "  the  persons  living  at  the  same  time."  A  generation  of  men 
may  indeed  be  living  at  the  same  time  ;  but  that  is  not  the  reason  why  they 
should  be  called  a  generation ;  for  the  word  has  particular  respect  to  their 
origin  and  kind.  In  Syriac  the  word  that  corresponds  to  generation  in  the 
Lord's  prophecy,  is  thus  defined :  "  Generatio,  tribus,  familia."  *  Kef.  Matt. 
xi.  16,  Acts  xxvi.  7,  and  iii.  25.  In  German  the  corresponding  word  is  de- 
fined ;  "  Genus,  kind,  species,  race,  generation,  origin,  sex,  stock,  extraction, 
family,  lineage,  house,  blood,  birth,  descent."!  The  corresponding  word  in 
French  is  defined,  "  Generation,  propagation,  production,  progeny,  descent." 
In  Spanish  the  corresponding  word  is  defined,  "  Generation,  the  act  of  beget- 
ting, or  producing,^:  (2.)  progeny,  race,  (3.)  a  single  succession,  (4.)  a  na- 
tion, an  age." 

These  definitions  have  been  procured  through  the  kindness  of  a  master  of 
many  tongues.  By  the  corresponding  word  is  meant  the  word  used  in  the 
London  Polyglott  Bible  where  the  text  under  notice  is  found  in  a  variety  of 
languages.  The  careful  reader  must  have  been  struck  with  the  almost  utter 
absence  of  anything  in  these  various  definitions  favorable  to  the  use  of  the 
word  opposed  in  this  Treatise.  And  if  anything  more  is  needed  to  complete 
these  strictures,  it  may  be  derived  from  even  the  appropriate  English  use  of 

*  Not  one  of  these  favors  the  use  of  the  word  which  this  Treatise  opposes, 
t  Fifteen  definitions,  and  none  of  them  favorable  to  the  rendering  of  the  word  here  objected  to. 
J  This  is  undoubtedly  the  meaning  of  the  word  generation  in  the  several  languages  above  no- 
ticed :  "the  act  of  begetting,  or  producing." 


44:4:  HARMONY    AND   EXPOSITION. 

the  word  in  question.  WEBSTER  gives  seven  classifications  of  definitions,  and 
but  one  is  favorable  to  the  use  of  the  word  objected  to;  and  out  of  thirteen 
definitions  there  is  but  one  favorable  to  that  use  of  the  word !  And  it  is  a  lit- 
tle remarkable  that  this  one  definition  is  sustained  by  an  example  that  proves 
more  against  it  than  for  it ! 

As  to  the  Scripture  use  of  the  word  in  question,  it  is  safe  to  credit  the  tes- 
timony of  such  men  as  ADAM  CLARKE,  and  the  others  referred  to  in  the  com- 
ment on  the  verse  under  notice.  There  are  a  few  places  where  the  term  seems 
ta  be  applied  to  the  persons  living  at  the  same  time ;  but  the  far  greater  num- 
ber certainly  use  the  term  in  strict  conformity  with  its  leading,  primary 
meanings.  And  in  many  places  the  word  is  employed  in  a  manner  that  ren- 
ders it  perfectly  impossible  to  define  it  in  accordance  with  the  notion  of  Bish- 
op Newton,  and  others  of  the  same  school. 

To  assume,  then,  that  the  word  in  question,  in  Matt.  xxiv.  34,  means  the 
persons  then  living,  and  not  the  Jews  as  a  race,  progeny,  or  kind  of  people,  is  to 
assume  what  not  only  is  without  proof  from  the  etymology  and  use  of  the 
word,  but  against  proof,  since  it  is  at  variance  with  the  derivation  and  com- 
mon use  of  the  word  by  not  only  the  Scriptures,  but  by  standard  authorities 
in  various  nations  and  ages. 

And  what  shall  be  said  of  the  practice  of  making  that  assumed,  unusual, 
and  almost  unexampled,  use  of  the  word  a  criterion  to  test  the  truthfulness 
of  the  interpretation  of  some  of  the  most  important  predictions  in  the  Bible  ? 
That  definition  and  use  of  the  word  has  introduced  more  confusion  and  inju- 
rious error  into  our  modern  Commentaries,  than  any  one  can  possibly  realize 
who  has  not  personally  and  patiently  investigated  this  matter. 

This  Exposition  has  no  occasion  to  use  the  word  in  any  but  its  primary 
and  common  Bible  use ;  yet  how  easy  and  how  natural  the  exposition  of  the 
text 

NOTE  R.     (Page  407.) 

It  is  now  quite  common  to  apply  all  this,  and  especially  the  text  under  com- 
ment, to  the  coming  of  the  Romans  and  the  fatal  war.  All  the  face  of  the 
whole  earth  is  made  to  mean  the  whole  land  of  Judea  !  The  suddenness  and 
unexpectedness  of  the  snare  is  applied  to  the  (supposed)  suddenness  and  unex- 
pectedness of  the  war.  The  admonitions  to  watchfulness  and  preparation  are, 
of  course,  made  to  harmonize  with  the  rest.  As  much — too  much  perhaps  — 
has  already  been  said  on  this  subject,  in  the  Exposition,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  add,  in  this  connection,  that  the  whole  system  of  figurative  interpretation 
of  this  part  of  the  prophecy,  is  founded  on  a  radical  misconception  of  the 
facts  in  the  case.  In  no  sense  whatever  was  the  coming  of  the  Romans,  or 
the  beginning  of  the  war,  either  sudden,  or  unexpected.  This  whole  matter 
is  made  sufficiently  evident  in  Appendix  No.  2. 

NOTE  S.     (Page  415.) 

But  will  not  this  doctrine  injure  the  great  benevolent  enterprises  of  the 
age  I  If  the  world  is  not  to  be  converted  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  why, 
then  send  out  missionaries,  and  endeavor  to  do  an  impossible  thing  ? 


APPENDIX. 


445 


Are  you,  then,  laboring  to  save  souls,  not  from  a  conviction  of  their  intrin- 
sic value,  but  from  an  expectation,  or  an  ambition,  to  save  all  ?  If  you  cannot 
save  every  one,  will  you  withhold  your  endeavors  to  save  any  one  ?  And  do 
you  make  your  plans,  your  hopes,  and  your  ambition,  the  criterion  of  Scrip- 
ture exegesis  ?  What  you  conceive  will  favor  your  plans  and  hopes,  —  that  is 
truth;  but  what  seems  to  be  unfavorable, — that  is  error!  Does  not  this 
amount  practically  to  the  papal  infallibility  which  forms  the  foundation  rock 
of  Romanism  ?  Is  it  not  virtually  pronouncing,  ex  cathedra,  what  is  orthodox, 
and  what  is  heresy  ? 

Is  it  nothing  that  the  Lord  has  nowhere  revealed  that  the  world  shall  be  con- 
verted previously  to  the  judgment-coming  of  Christ  ?  Is  it  nothing  that  the 
Bible  everywhere  represents  that  the  world  will  be  found  in  wickedness  when 
the  Lord  shall  return  ?  Is  it  nothing  that  a  principal  and  primary  work  to 
be  accomplished  at  the  second  advent,  will  be  the  destruction  of  the  tares 
from  among  the  wheat  ?  That  he  will  be  revealed  in  flaming  fire,  with  his 
mighty  angels,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  the  Lord,  nor  obey 
the  Gospel,  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  ?  Is  it  noth- 
ing that  the  Little  Horn,  the  False  Prophet,  the  Man  of  Sin,  the  Anti-Christ, 
are  represented  as  surviving  and  operating  against  God  and  the  Church,  until 
the  Lord  comes  to  judgment  ?  Is  it  nothing  that  a  large  proportion  of  our 
Saviour's  parables  and  predictions  unmistakably  show  that,  when  he  comes,  it 
will  be  as  when  the  deluge  rushed  upon  the  old  world,  or  as  when  the  flames 
fell  upon  wicked  Sodom  ?  Must  all  this,  and  innumerable  other  instances  of 
the  same  import,  amount  to  nothing  —  absolutely  to  nothing — with  you? 
Are  your  hopes  so  ardent,  your  ambition  so  settled,  and  your  zeal  so  excited, 
that  you  cannot  pause  a  moment  to  examine  the  groundwork  of  your  confi- 
dence ? 

What  is  the  real  principle  that  governs  you  in  your  endeavors  to  save  the 
world  ?  Is  it  the  intrinsic  value  of  each  immortal  spirit  ?  Is  it  from  obedi- 
ence to  the  command,  "  Occupy  till  I  come  ?"  Is  it  from  an  overflowing  be- 
nevolence, or  deep  religious  sense  of  obligation?  Or — let  us  be  candid — is 
it  from  hope  of  success  —  of  success  on  a  great  scale  ? 

If  we  can  save  many,  most,  or  all,  then  we  will  put  forth  our  best  endeav- 
ors. But  if  the  time  is  short,  and  but  comparatively  few  can  be  saved,  then 
we  will  slacken  our  efforts !  Is  this  your  plea?  See  there  !  That  ship  is  on 
fire !  A  thousand  human  beings  are  in  danger !  See  !  The  flames  are  all 
aronnd  them  !  They  are  perishing  every  moment !  A  score  have  perished 
since  we  first  beheld  them !  An  hundred  will  die  before  we  can  man  a  boat; 
another  hundred  before  we  can  reach  the  wreck !  See  them,  surrounded  with 
flames,  or  struggling  in  the  fire-lit  billows !  Hurry,  hurry,  time  is  precious : 
all  will  soon  be  over :  they  perish  every  moment :  in  a  little  all  will  be  lost ! 
Of  a  thousand  you  cannot  hope  now  to  save  a  tenth :  hurry,  hurry  !  What ! 
doing  nothing  ?  Will  you  not  save  some  of  them  ?  O,  what  is  the  use  of  try- 
ing ?  By  the  time  we  could  save  fifty  or  a  hundred  they  will  all  be  lost,  as 
you  say  ;  nearly  all  are  perished  already.  Since  there  is  no  prospect  of  sav- 
ing the  whole,  what  is  the  encouragement  to  save  only  a  part  ?  The  whole,  or 
none,  is  my  motto.  The  reader  will  easily  make  the  application. 


4:4:6  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

But  who  will  contribute  to  the  Missionary  cause,  if  the  pre-millennial  ad- 
vent doctrine  prevails  ?  "Who  will  contribute  ?  Do  you  think  the  "  evil  ser- 
vant" will,  who  saith  in  his  heart,  My  Lord  delay eth  his  coming?  If,  as 
Christ  represents  the  case,  the  tendency  of  such  a  view  is,  to  smite  the  fellow 
servants,  and  to  eat  and  drink  with  the  drunken,  will  he  give  largely,  regu- 
larly, and  from  principle  ?  What  is  the  chief  impediment  to  the  world's  con- 
version ?  What  is  it  that  locks  up  the  hearts  and  hands  of  the  wealthy,  and 
would-be-wealthy,  Christians  ?  Is  it  not  the  seemingly  irresponsible  extrava- 
gance, lust,  and  worldly  ambition  of  the  present  age?  Does  it  not  result 
principally  from  a  losing  sight  of  the  fact,  as  well  as  the  natare,  of  the  Lord's 
coming  ?  Is  there  not,  also,  a  general  impression  that  there  is  no  need  of 
haste  in  the  matter?  That  the  world's  conversion  is  pre-determined,  and  will 
somehow  be  effected,  before  the  day  of  salvation  passes  ?  How  should  we  all 
feel,  if  we  were  deeply  impressed  with  the  reality  of  the  Lord's  judgment-coming, 
and  with  the  certainty  that  it  may  be  immediately  ?  Would  there  be  as  much 
vanity,  and  dissipation,  to  consume  not  only  our  wealth,  but  our  religion  too  I 
Would  the  general  cry  be,  What  shall  we  eat  ?  what  shall  we  drink  ?  and 
wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed  ?  Would  there  be  so  much  laying  up  treas- 
ure on  earth,  and  so  little  thought  of  the  inheritance  in  heaven  ?  What  is  the 
principal  difficulty  in  the  way  of  the  largest  liberality  ?  Does  it  need  to  be 
answered  ?  Let  works  of  the  character  of  this  Treatise  be  generally  preva- 
lent ;  and  let  the  leading  influences  of  the  church  encou  rage  the  conviction, 
that  the  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  and  therefore  may 
be  at  hand ;  and  let  there  be  a  modification  of  the  principle  by  which  we 
contribute,  and  by  which  we  labor,  so  as  to  harmonize  with  the  Scripture 
doctrine ;  and  would  not  the  gold  of  the  church  be  converted  ? 

The  infidelity  of  the  world,  and  the  worldliness  of  the  church,  could  not 
withstand  the  general,  the  encouraged,  the  thorough,  practical  conviction,  that 
the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  snare  upon  all  them  that  dwell  on  the  face 
of  the  whole  earth.  The  author  is  impressed  that  some  essential  defect  in 
doctrine,  in  respect  to  the  closing  up  of  the  gospel  dispensation ;  or  some 
practical  disbelief  of  the  teachings  of  Inspiration,  in  respect  to  the  world's 
destiny,  is  the  chief  difficulty  in  the  way  of  the  wider  spread  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  abroad,  and  the  more  general  observance  of  its  higher  claims  at 
home.  "My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowledge,"  was  the  complaint 
in  ancient  times ;  and,  to  some  extent,  it  might  be  made  at  the  present  But 
the  knowledge,  undoubtedly,  was  the  knowledge  of  God  in  respect  to  his 
purposes. 


APPENDIX    II. 

A  SYNOPSIS  OF  JOSEPHUS'  HISTORY  OF  THE  JEWISH  WAR. 


PART  1. — Period — From  the  time  Judea  became  a  Roman  Province 
to  the  flight  of  Cestius  Oallus 

1.  Judea  became  subject  to  the  Romans  about  63  B.  C.,  when  Pompey  took 
Jerusalem,  and  laid  the  country  under  tribute.     But  still,  until  the  time  of 
Christ,  the  Jews  were  governed  by  men  of  their  own  nation. 

2.  Herod  the  Great  was  reigning  in  Judea  at  the  time  of  our  Saviour's  birth  ; 
but  he  died  in  less  than  two  years  after.     By  will,  Herod  divided  his  domin- 
ions among  his  three  sons,  Archelaus,   Philip,  and  Antipas.     Archelaus  was 
appointed  to  succeed  him  in  the  kingdom  proper,  with  the  title   of  king ; 
Philip  was  made  Tetrarch  of  the  provinces  of  Batanea,  Trachonitis,  Gauloni- 
tis,  and  Paneas ;  Antipas  was  made  Tetrarch  of  Galilee  and  Perea. 

8.  As  Herod  had  appointed  the  Roman  Emperor  the  administrator  of  his  will, 
it  was  necessary  that  the  document  should  be  carried  to  Rome.  The  emperor 
confirmed  the  will,  with  the  exception  that  Archelaus  should  be  entitled  Eth- 
narch  instead  of  king  Archelaus  reigned  with  much  difficulty  and  ill  suc- 
cess for  about  nine  years,  when  the  emperor  banished  him  from  the  country. 

4.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Judea  was  made  a  Roman  province,  and  annexed  to 
the  prefecture  of  Syria.     It  was  about  A.  D.  11  or  12  :  gome  authorities  place 
it  earlier.     The  province  also  included  Samaria.     The  provincial  capital  was 
Gesarea.     The  capital  of  the  Syrian  presidency  was  Antioch. 

5.  Having  given  this  condensed  summary  of  the  governmental  changes 
through  which  the  country  passed,  up  to  the  time  when  Judea  became  a  prov- 
ince, it  will  be  proper  to  go  back  a  little,  in  order  to  show  why  Archelaus 
was  deposed  and  his  ethnarchy  made  a  province.     While  he  was  absent  on 
his  journey  to  Rome,  a  sedition  broke  out  among  the   Jews,  occasioned  by 
their  opposition  to  Sabinus,  the  commander  of  the   Roman  forces  at  Jerusa- 
lem.    He  was  besieged  in  the  city  by  the  Jews,  and  terrible  conflicts  resulted. 

6.  At  the  same  time  there  were  conflicts  and  seditions  in  various  parts  of 
the  country.     A  battle  took  place  in  the  southern  portion  between  two  thou- 
sand of  king  Herod's  old  soldiers  and  those  belonging  to  the  later  king's  party. 
At  this  time  also  occurred  the  sedition  of  Judas  the  Galilean.     And  there  was 
likewise  a  revolution  attempted  by  Anthrongeus,  who  aspired  to  be  a  king. 
In  view  of  these  turbulent  proceedings,  Josephus  observes,  that  "they  filled 
all  Judea  with  a  piratic  war." 


M8  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

7.  Sabinus   still  being  besieged   in  Jerusalem  by  the  Jews,  repeatedly  sent 
letters  to  Varus,  the  governor  of  Syria,  imploring  his  aid.     Varus  then  took 
two  legions  and  four  troops  of  horse,    and   hurried  up  to  Jerusalem.     As 
usual,  he  passed  up  the  coast  by  Berytus  and  Ptolemais.     At  Berytus  he  re- 
ceived an  addition  to  his  army  of  1500  men;  at  Ptolemais  also  he  received 
other  reinforcements   from  auxiliaries,  together  with  an  army  from  the  king 
of  Arabia. 

8.  From  Ptolemais  he  dispatched  Caius  with  a  part  of  the  army  into  Gal- 
ilee, who  took  and  burnt  the  city  of  Sepphoris.     Varus  continued  his  march 
to  Jerusalem,  going  up  through  Samaria,   by  the  city  of  Sebaste.     The  map 
will  show  that  his  course   thus  far  was  nearly  south.     He  passed  on  by  the 
villages  of  Arus,  Sampho,  and  Emmaus,  which  were  all  destroyed.     Thus  he 
jame  to  Jerusalem. 

9.  This  was  the  first  invasion  of  Judea  by  the  Roman   armies,  after  the 
country  become  a  Roman  province.     It  occurred  however  several  years  too 
early  to  be  reckoned  among  those  invasions  which  affect  the  Exposition  of  the 
Lord's  prophetic  discourse.     The  history  is  taken  up   at  this   early  period, 
(about  A.  D.  10,)   for  the  purpose  of  keeping  before  us  the  whole  history  of 
that  turbulent  period  which  resulted  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Jewish  nation. 

10.  Varus  having  come  into  Jerusalem,  the  multitude  of  the  Jews  having 
cleared  themselves  of  blame  in  the  revolt,  and  the  seditious  having  generally 
delivered  themselves  up  before  coming  into  conflict  with  Varus,  the  difficul- 
ty was  soon  settled,  although  2000  of  the  seditious  were  crucified.     Varus  left 
one  legion  in  the  city  as  a  garrison,  and  returned  to  Antioch. 

11.  Archelaus,  it  must  be  remembered,  was  not  at  this  time  settled  in  his 
government,  though  according  to  the  will  of  Herod,  he  claimed  to  be  king. 
But  the  Jews   made  many  grievous  complaints  to  the  emperor  against  him, 
and   requested  to  be  placed  under  Roman  governors.     The  emperor  then  di- 
vided the  dominions  of  Herod  the  Great  into  three  parts,  giving  to  Archelaus 
one  half,  with  the  title   of  Ethnarch,  and  the  rest  to  the  other  two  sons  of 
Herod,  namely,  Philip  and  Antipas,  with  the  title  of  Tetrarchs.     Archelaus' 
ethnarchy  included  Judea  proper,  and  Samaria.     Philip's  tetrarchy  included 
Batanea,  Gaulonitis,  Trachonitis,  and  Paneas.     The  tetrarchy  of  Antipas  com- 
prised Galilee  and  Perea. 

12.  After  a  turbulent  and  unsuccessful  administration  of  nine  years,  Ar- 
chelaus was  complained  of  by  the  Jews  so  bitterly,  that  the  emperor  deposed 
him  from  his  government,  and  banished  him  to  Vienne  in  Gaul.     His  ethnar- 
chy was  now  made  a  regular  province,  and  was  governed  by  officers  sent  from 
Rome.     The  first  governor  was  Coponius.     He  continued  to  govern  the  prov- 
ince about  three  years,   when  he  was  succeeded  by  Marcus  Ambivius.     The 
latter  was  soon  followed  by  Annius  Rufus ;  and  he  by  Valerius  Gratus ;  and 
he,  about  A.  D.  25,  by  Pontius  Pilate. 

18.  After  this,  Agrippa,  a  grandson  of  Herod  the  Great,  was  appointed 
king  over  the  two  tetrarchies ;  Philip  having  deceased,  and  Antipas  having 
been  banished.  So  the  Jewish  dominions  became  divided  now  into  one  prov- 
ince, under  Pontius  Pilate,  and  one  kingdom,  under  Agrippa. 

14.   Previous  to  this  time,  Pilate  had  raised  a  dreadful  commotion  among 


APPENDIX.  449 

the  Jews,  by  placing  the  Roman  ensigns  in  Jerusalem.  He  was,  however, 
soon  induced  to  take  them  away.  But  now  Caius,  the  emperor,  affecting  di- 
vine honors,  desired  to  have  his  statue  placed  in  the  temple.  This  he  knew 
would  be  an  outrage  to  the  feelings  of  the  Jews.  So  he  sent  Petronius  with 
au  army,  with  instructions  to  place  the  image  in  the  temple,  if  he  had  to  do 
it  by  force. 

15.  Petronius  took  the  usual  route  into  Judea,  passing  up  through  Antioch, 
and  coming  into  the  province  from  the  north  along  the  coast  to  Ptolemais. 
This  second  invasion  did  not,  however,  occasion  any  war ;  for  the  Jews  per- 
suaded Petronius   to  disobey  his  instructions ;  and  the  statue  was  not  car- 
ried into  the  city. 

16.  About  A.  D.  41,  Claudius  being  emperor,  Agrippa  was  made  king  over 
all  the  country  over  which  Herod  had  reigned.     So  the  Jewish  provinces  be- 
came united  into  one  kingdom  again.     Agrippa  immediately  began  to  build 
and  strengthen  the  walls  about  Jerusalem.     The  walls  he  built  were  those 
which  were  standing  at  the  time  the  city  underwent  its  last  siege.     The  king 
did  not  live  to  finish  the  walls,  but  after  reigning  three  years,  died,  leaving 
one  son  still  very  young,   having  the  same  name  as  his  father.     It  was  this 
Agrippa  who  made  the  famous  speech  to  dissuade  the  Jews  from  going  to  war 
with  the  Romans. 

IT.  The  Jewish  kingdom  was  once  more  formed  into  provinces,  and  gov- 
erned by  Roman  officers.  The  first  was  Cuspius  Fadus  :  the  next  was  Tibe- 
rius Alexander.  Under  these  two  governors  the  province  of  Judea  appears 
to  have  been  kept  in  peace. 

18.  But  under  Cumanus,  the  next  governor,  the  Jewish  troubles  begun 
afresh.  At  the  feast  of  the  Passover  the  governor  placed,  as  was  usually 
done,  a  cohort  of  soldiers  upon  the  cloisters  of  the  temple,  to  keep  order 
among  the  innumerable  multitudes  which  on  such  occasions  came  together. 
And  at  that  time  one  of  the  soldiers  wantonly  and  wickedly  exposed  his  na- 
ked person  in  an  obscene  manner  before  the  whole  multitude  in  the  temple. 

19  This,  as  might  have  been  expected,  and  as  was  probably  designed,  had 
the  effect  to  arouse  the  whole  multitude  to  madness  ;  and  the  more  inconsid- 
erate of  the  people  at  once  made  an  attack  upon  the  guard,  with  such  weap- 
ons as  they  could  obtain.  The  guard  being  reinforced,  drove  the  Jews  out 
of  the  temple.  In  a  variety  of  ways  10,000  of  the  Jews  were  destroyed  at 
that  time.  This  turned  the  great  festival  into  a  season  of  mourning  to  the 
whole  nation;  for  very  many  families  in  different  parts  of  the  country  were 
in  pome  way  connected  with  10,000  that  were  killed. 

20.  There  was  another  difficulty  that  grew  out  of  a  robbery  committed 
upon  a  servant  in  the  employment  of  the  emperor.     And  still  another  trouble 
was  occasioned  by  the  destruction  of  one  of  the  holy  books  by  a  Roman  sol- 
dier.    And  another   difficulty  resulted   in  consequence  of  the  murder  of  a 
Galilean,  who,  with  many  others,  was  passing  through  Samaria  to  attend  a 
festival  at  Jerusalem. 

21.  The  governor  having  refused  to  attend  to  the  matters  at  that  time,  the 
excited  multitude  hurried  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Samaria,  and  killed  a  ruul 
titude  of  every  age  and  sex,  and  burnt  the  villages  of  the  Samaritans.     At 

29 


4:50  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

this,  the  governor  came  with  a  troop  of  horsemen  from  Cesarea,  and  seized 
upon  and  destroyed  a  great  number  of  the  Jews.  And  the  rulers  of  the  Jews, 
being  sensible  of  what  would  result  from  such  seditions,  went  down  from 
Jerusalem  clothed  with  sackcloth,  and  with  ashes  on  their  heads,  intreating 
their  inconsiderate  brethren  "  to  have  compassion  on  their  country  and  tem- 
ple, their  wives  and  children,  and  not  bring  the  utmost  dangers  of  de- 
struction upon  them,"  by  provoking  "the  Romans  to  come  against  Jerusalem." 

22.  These  troubles  were  not  settled  until  the  president  of  Syria  interposed, 
and  punished  some  on  both  sides.     And  complaints  being  made  to  the  empe- 
ror against  the  governor  Cumanus,  he  was  removed,  and  Felix  appointed  in 
his  place.     This  was  about  A.  D.  53.     Felix  was  governor  over  Galilee,   Sa- 
maria, Perea,  and  the  greater  part  of  Judea. 

23.  Agrippa  had  now  several  provinces  added  to  his  dominion,  on  account 
of  his  great  popularity  at  Rome.     He  continued  to  reign  during  the  war,  and 
is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  history.     He  was  very  influential,  not  only  at 
Rome,  but  in  the  Jewish  provinces. 

24.  About  these  times  the  Jews  were  afflicted  with  many  grievous  internal 
commotions.     The  robbers  in  Jerusalem,  and  the  false  prophets  and  the  sedi- 
tious there,  as  well  as  in  other  places,  kept  the  country  in  a  continual  ferment, 
killing,  robbing,  and  burning  in  all  parts  of  the  land.     Felix  and  his  army 
had  continual  employment  to  preserve  the  nation  from  utter  ruin.     And  in 
Cesarea  the  Jews  and  Syrians  were  in  perpetual  conflict  about  their  respect- 
ive rights  in  the  city. 

25.  Felix  being  now  removed,  A.  D.  61,  Festus  was  appointed  in  his  stead. 
But  soon  after,  he  was  succeeded  by  Albums.     Festus  appears  to  have  been  a 
wise  and  good  governor ;  but  his  successor,  Albinus,  like  Nero,  who  appointed 
him,  was  an  abominable  character.     Under  his  tyranny  the  Jews  suffered  per- 
petual and  almost  incredible  hardships.     "At  this  time,"  says  Josephus,  "  were 
the  seeds  sown  that  brought  the  city  to  destruction." 

26.  What  has  been  said  thus  far  does  not  directly  affect  the  question  under  con- 
sideration.    But  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  begin  with  the  provincial  history 
of  these  affairs,  that  we  might  have  the  whole  matter  to  some  extent  spread 
before  us.     From  the  point  now  attained,  however,  the  history  will  have  an 
evident  bearing  upon  the  question  at  issue.     The  closest  scrutiny  of  the  reader 
is  invited  to  what  shall  follow  ;  for  it  is  certain  that  it  only  needs  a  common 
understanding  of  the  facts  in  the  case,  to  convince  the  candid  that  the  usual 
impression  respecting  the  matter  at  issue,  is  utterly  erroneous.     Let  the  reader 
proceed  no  farther  without  having  before  him  a  good  map  of  Palestine.     The 
design  of  the  present  effort  is   to  demonstrate,  absolutely  to  demonstrate,  the 
entire  fabulousness  of  the  popular  and  almost  universally  received  opinions 
respecting  this  subject. 

27.  Albinus  was  succeeded  by  Florus,  about  A.  D.  63.     Florus  proved  to 
be  a  more  wicked  and  impolitic  governor  than  the  former.     Such  a  monster 
was  he,  that  Josephus,  (who  wrote  under  the  Roman  eye,)  after  giving  a 
dreadful  character  to  the  former,  yet  observes,  "  Although  such  was  the  char- 
acter of  Albinus,  yet  did  Florus,  who  succeeded  him,  demonstrate  him  to  have 
been  a  most  excellent  person  upon  the  comparison." 


APPENDIX.  451 

28.  This  governor  countenanced  the  most  attrocious  villainies,  practicing 
open  robbery  of  persons  and  cities,  and  encouraging  others  to  do  the  same, 
provided  they  gave  to  him  a  share  of  the  spoil.     Yet  such  were  his  subtilty 
and  power,  that  no  one  dared  to  complain  of  him  to  the  higher  authorities. 
Perhaps  no  people  were  situated  more  disagreeably,  in  this  respect,  than  the 
Jews;  and  certainly  no  people  were  less  disposed  to  bear  it     The  more  con- 
siderate of  the  Jews  not  only  grieved  on  account  of  their  present  calamities, 
but  on  account  of  the  perceived  certainty  of  an  open  rupture  with  the  impe- 
rial power,  which  they  well  knew  was  able  to  overwhelm  them. 

29.  It  was  sufficiently  evident  that  the  governor  desired  and  determined  to 
provoke  the  nation  to  an  open  sedition  against  the  Roman  government.     This 
was  perceived  by  Bernice,  the  sister  of  King  Agrippa,  who  was  a  friend  to 
the  Jews:  and  she  personally  besought  Floras  to  spare  the  Jews.     She  even 
condescended  to  stand  barefoot  before  the  governor's  tribunal,  and  intercede 
for  the  nation  that  was  so  abused  and  so  exasperated.     But,  honorable  as 
were  herself  and  her  relations,  such  was  the  governor's  rage,  that  Bernice  had 
difficulty  in  saving  her  own  life  by  flight 

30.  The  men  of  power  among  the  Jews,  knowing  very  well  the  fatal  result 
that  would  follow  from  war  with  Rome,   "  were  affrighted,  fcugether  with  the 
high  priests,  and  rent  their  garments,  and  fell  down  before  each  of  them,  [the 
seditious,]  and  bes^aght  them  to  leave  off,  and  not  provoke  Fionas  to  some  ift 
curable  procedure,  besides  what  they  had  already  suffered,"     They  prevailed 
with  the  multitude,  and  tranquility  resulted.     But  "Floras  was  troubled  that 
the  disturbances  were  over,  and  endeavored  to  kindle  that  flame  again.'* 

31.  His  next  attempt  to  provoke  the  Jews  into  war  was  so  likely  to  succeed, 
that,  as  the  historian  says,  "At  this  time  it  was  that  every  priest,  and  every 
servant  of  God,  brought  out  the  holy  vessels,  and  the  ornamental  garments 
wherein  they  used  to  minister  about  sacred  things.     The  harpers  also,  and  the 
eingers  of  hymns,  came  out  with  their  instruments  of  music,  and  fell  down 
before  the  multitude,  [who  were  going  to  resist  the  Romans,]  and  begged  of 
them  that  they  would  preserve  those  holy  ornaments  to  them,  and  not  provoke 
the  Romans  to  carry  off  those  sacred  treasures.     You  might  also  see  then  the 
high  priests  themselves  with  dust  sprinkled  in  great  plenty  upon  their  heads, 
with  bosoms  deprived  of  any  covering  but  what  was  rent;  these  besought 
every  one  of  the  eminent  men  by  name,  and  the  multitude  in  common,  that 
they  would  not  for  a  small  offence  betray  their  country  to  those  that  were 
desirous  to  have  it  laid  waste." 

32.  A  horrible  tumult  soon  resulted,  which  was  designed  and  effected  by 
Florus  and  his  soldiers,  in  order  to  drive  the  Jews  into  desperation  and  sedi- 
tion.    This  tumult  did  not  result  from  any  improper  action  on  the  part  of  the 
Jews ;  all  that  they  did  was  to  make  a  complaint  against  the  governor,  when 
they  saw  that  his  soldiers  would  not  return  their  civil  salutation.     The  govern- 
or and  his  soldiers  had  fixed  upon  this  as  a  signal  to  fall  upon  the  Jews  and 
kill  them. 

33.  "  However,  Florus  contrived  another  way  to  oblige  the  Jews  to  begin 
the  war,  and  sent  to  Cestius,  [the  President  of  Syria,]  and  accused  the  Jews 
falsely  of  revolting  from  the  Roman  government,  and  imputed  the  beginning 


452  HARMONY    AND    EXPOSITION. 

of  the  former  fight  to  them,  and  pretended  that  they  had  been  the  authors  of 
that  disturbance,  wherein  they  were  only  the  sufferers."  The  governors  of 
Jerusalem  also  wrote  to  Cestixis  complaining  of  Florus,  and  Bernice  did  so  like- 
wise. Whereupon,  Cestius  thought  proper  to  send  one  of  his  tribunes  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  inquire  into  the  matter. 

34.  The  tribune,  at  Jamnia,  had  a  consultation  with  King  Agrippa,  who  was 
returning  from  Alexandria.     The  principal  men  of  the  Jews,  also,  met  him  at 
the  same  time,  and  besought  Agrippa  to  aid  them  in  their  extremity.     The 
multitude  also  came  down  from  Jerusalem,  together  with  the  widows  of  those 
who  had  been  killed  ;  and,  with  loud  lamentations  and  complaints,  besought 
the  king  to  assist  them.     After  inspecting  their  affairs,  and  commending  them 
for  their  fidelity  to  the  Romans,  the  tribune  returned  to  Cestius, 

35.  King  Agrippa  perceiving  that  the  Jews  were  on  the  point  of  breaking 
out  into  open  rebellion  against  the  Roman  government,  addressed  the  Jews 
with  a  long,  eloquent,  and  powerful  speech,  the  design  of  which  was  to  dis- 
suade them  from  going  to  war  with  Rome,  and  to  induce  them  to  submit  qui- 
etly to  their  fate.     He  did  succeed  in  moving  them  to  pay  to  the  emperor  the 
tribute  which  was  due  him,  and  also  to  restore  the  communication  between 
the  citadel  and  the  temple,  which,  in  some  of  the  recent  conflicts,  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  Jews  themselves,  by  burning  a  part  of  the  cloister  of  the 
temple.     He  also  exhorted  them  to  obey  their  governor.     But  at  this  the  mul- 
titude were  so  enraged,  that  they  made  an  assault  upon  the  king,  and  caused 
him  to  be  put  out  of  the  city.    So  he  returned  to  his  own  dominions,  and  left 
the  Jews  to  their  fate. 

36.  At  this  time  some  of  the  more  turbulent  of  the  Jews  assaulted  and  took 
the  fortress  of  Masada,  and  killed  the  Roman  garrison.     At  the  same  time  the 
officiating  priests  were  persuaded  to  reject  the  sacrifice  of  the  emperor,  which 
it  had  been  customary  to  offer.     "This,"  says  Josephus,  "was  the  true  begin- 
ning of  our  war  with  the  Romans."    The  more  prudent  part  of  the  Jews  did 
everything  they  could  to  prevent  the  war ;  but  the  rest  were  fully  determin- 
ed upon  rebellion.     The  dispute  among  them  on  this  point  ripened  into  civil 
war,    and    they   fought   with   one   another   seven    days.     This   was   about 
A.  D.  64. 

87.  Things  continued  to  grow  worse  and  worse.  The  seditious  among  the 
Jews,  and  the  robbers  who  abounded  in  the  city,  banded  together  and  got 
possession  of  the  temple.  They  also  burnt  the  palace  of  the  high  priest,  the 
palaces  of  Bernice  and  King  Agrippa,  and  the  place  where  the  public  records 
were  kept.  They  then  made  an  assault  upon  the  citidel  and  took  it,  and 
killed  the  Roman  garrison.  They  then  assaulted  and  besieged  the  soldiers 
which  Agrippa  had  sent  to  assist  those  Jews  who  were  opposed  to  the 
war. 

38.  During  these  occurrences,  one  of  the  leading  robbers  led  a  party  out  to 
the  fortress  of  Masada,  and  broke  open  Herod's  armory,  and  supplied  the  des- 
titute with  arms.  The  war  continued  to  rage,  and  the  rest  of  the  Roman  sol- 
diers were  besieged.  Upon  the  promise  of  having  their  lives  spared,  they 
were  induced  to  surrender ;  but  as  soon  as  the  Jews  got  them  into  their  pow- 
er they  murdered  the  whole  of  them,  in  direct  violation  of  the  terms  of  capit- 


APPENDIX.  453 

ulation.  This  filled  the  more  considerate  Jews  with  alarm  and  grief.  They 
knew  what  would  evitably  result ;  and  they  "made  public  lamentations,  when 
they  saw  thart  such  occasions  were  afforded  for  a  war  as  were  incurable." 

39.  At  precisely  the  same  hour  that  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  murdered  the 
Roman  garrison,  the  people  in  Cesarea  fell  upon  the  Jews  and  killed  20,000 
of  them ;  and  many  that  fled  were  overtaken,  captured,  and  chained  in  the 
galleys.     At  this  massacre,  the  whole  Jewish  nation  were  enraged,  and  terri- 
bly revenged  themselves  upon  their  enemies.     "They  divided  themselves  into 
several  parties,  and  laid  waste  the  villages  of  the  Syrians,  and  their  neighbor- 
ing cities,  Philadelphia  and  Sebonitis,  and  Gerasa,  and  Pella,  and  Scythopo- 
lis ;  and  after  them  Gadara,  and  Hippos.     And  falling  upon  Gaulonitis,  some 
cities  they  destroyed  there ;  and  some  they  set  on  fire ;  and  then  went  into 
Kedusa,  belonging  to  the  Tyrians,  and  to  Ptolemais,  and  to  Gaba,  and  to  Ce- 
sarea.    Nor  was  Sebaste,  or  Ascalon  able  to  oppose  the  violence  with  which 
they  were  attacked." 

40.  "And  when  they  had  burnt  these  to  the  ground,  they  entirely  demol- 
ished Anthedon  and  Gaza.     Many  also  of  the  villages  that  were  about  every 
one  of  these  cities  were  plundered ;  and  an  immense  slaughter  was  made  of 
the  men  who  were  caught  in  them."     "  The  Syrians  were  even  with  the  Jews 
in  the  multitude  of  the  men  whom  they  slew."     And  the  war  raged  furiously 
in  every  part  of  the  land.     Thus  the  great,  and  —  to  the  Jews  —  fatal,  war 
was  fully  begun ;  for  those  whom  the  Jews,  destroyed  were  subjects  of  the 
empire.     But  all  this  took  place  before  any  of  the  great  Roman  armies  were 
brought  into  the  country. 

41.  The  Jews  in  Alexandria  in  Egypt  were  also  destroyed  about  this  time. 
And  in  their  destruction  we,  for   the  first  time    during   the   war,  hear   of  a 
regular  Roman  army  being  sent  to  destroy  them.     There  were  two  legions 
stationed  in  Alexandria,  and  to  these  were  added  5,000  others  who  happened 
to  come  in  from  Lybia.     This  army  fell  upon  the  Jews  in  Alexandria  and  de- 
stroyed 50,000  of  them,  not  sparing  either  age  or  sex.     This  may  be  regarded 
as  the  first  flight  of  the  Roman  eagle,  hastening  to  his  prey ;  it  was  not  at 
Jerusalem,  nor  in  Judea ;    but  in  Alexandria  in  Egypt.     Neither  was  it  from 
east  to  west  that  the  Romans  marched ;  but  those  who  came  to  assist  in  the 
massacre,  came  from  west  to  east ;  from  Lybia  to  Alexandria. 

42.  And  now  Cestius,  the  President  of  Syria,  who  had  a  general  supervis- 
ion of  the  Jewish  provinces,  deemed  it  expedient  to  be  doing  something  to 
put  down  the  general  revolt.     His  movements  constituted  the  second  flight  of 
the  Roman  eagle  during  this  war,  but  the  first  flight  against  Judea  and  its 
capital.     "We  will  now  notice  particularly  the  march  and  conquest  of  this  first 
invasion  during  the  war  in  question. 

43.  Cestius  took  out  of  Antioch  one  legion  entire,  together  with  2,000  from 
•each  of  the  others,  and  six  cohorts  of  footmen,  and  four  troops  of  horse.     In 
addition  to  these,  King  Antiochus  sent  2,000  horsemen,  and  3,000  footmen, 
with  3,000  archers ;  and  King  Agrippa  sent  3,000  footmen,  and  1,000  horse- 
men ;  and  King  Sohemus  followed  with  about  3,000  footmen  and  archers,  and 
1,000  horsemen.    And  thus  he  marched  from  Antioch  up  along  the  coast  in  a 


4:54  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

southerly  direction  to  Ptolemais ;  and  other  auxiliaries  came  to  him  from  the 
free  cities  as  he  was  on  his  march.     This  was  in  A.  D.  66. 

44.  "We  now  find  him  at  Ptolemais,  in  the  north-western  portion  of  the  Jew- 
ish country.     To  this  rendezvous  he  came  from  the  north.     From  this  position 
he  began  his  further  marches,  and  extended  his  conquests.     It  will  be  seen  at 
a  glance,  that  his  future  operations  must  be — not  from  east  to  west — but,  in 
relation   to  these  points,  in  a  precisely  opposite  direction.     The  history  will 
show  us  his  subsequent  marches  and  conquests. 

45.  From  Ptolemais,  going  south-east,   he  went  and  destroyed  the  city  of 
Zebulon.     Then  he  overran  all  that  part  of  the  country,  destroying  the  villages 
all  around,  and  returned  to  Ptolemaic.     Thus  the  invasion  was  from  the  north; 
the  first  march  to  battle  was  south-east ;  and  the  conquests  began  in  the  north- 
western section  of  the  provinces.     Every  one  can  see  the  total  erroneousnesa 
of  the  usual  representation  of  this  matter. 

46.  From  Ptolemais,  again,  he  departed,  and  went  south  to  Cesarea.     From 
thence  he  sent  a  part  of  his  army  still  further  south  to  Joppa.     This  city  the 
army  took  by  surprise,  and  burnt,  killing  8,400  of  the  Jews.     A  part  of  the 
%rmy  was  also  sent  into  the  "  toparchy  of  Narbatene,  adjoining  Cesarea,  who 
destroyed  the  country,  and  slew  a  great  multitude  of  its  people ;  they  also 
Blundered  what  they  had,  and  burnt  their  villages."     Another  part  of  the 
'H-oiy  was  sent  to  Sepphoris,  the  capital  of  Galilee,  where  they  were  received 
with  acclamations  by  the  people,  and  the  city  was  saved.     A  portion  of  the 
people,  however,  fled  to  the  mountains  in  the  middle  of  Galilee,  but  were 
pursued  and  destroyed.     That  portion  of  the  army  then  returned  to  Cesarea. 

47.  Thus  have  we  seen  another  of  the  expeditions  of  the  army,  after  it  had 
begun  its  conquests.     It  was  three-fold  in  its  nature  ;  but  in  no  instance  what- 
ever, was  there  a  march  to  a  battle  or  to  a  siege  from  east  to  west ;  but  in  every 
instance  it  was  in  other  directions.     And  this  second  stage  of  the  conquests, 
so  far  from  its  being  in  the  east,  that  it  might  extend  westward,  was  confined  to 
the  western  section  of  the  country  ;  and  in  every  instance,  so  far  as   east  and 
west  were  concerned,  it  was  directly  opposite  to  the  course  affirmed  by  the 
commentators. 

48.  Now   " Cestius  moved  with  his  whole  army  to  Antipatris."     In  this 
movement  he  went  a  little  east   of  south.     From  this  place  he  sent  a  part  of 
the  army  to  fight  against  some  Jews  who  had  gotten  together  in  the  tower  of 
Aphek.     This  was  on  the  river  Kishon,  directly  north  of  Antipatris.     But  the 
Jews  were  dispersed  before  coming  to  a  battle  ;  and  the  Romans  burnt  their 
camp,  and  the  villages  that  were  about  it.     This  took  place  in  the  northern 
section  of  the  provinces,  and  a  little  further  east  from  the  coast  than  appears 
to  have  been  visited  previously ;  for  the  conquest   progressed  southerly  and 
easterly. 

49.  The  next  general  march  was  to  Lydda,  south  of  Antipatris.     But  Ces- 
tius found  the  city  empty,   for  the  peoj  le  had  gone  up  to  Jerusalem  to  the 
feast  of  tabernacles.     A  few  were  destroyed,  the  city  burnt,  and  the  army  went 
on  toward  the  capital.     "  Ascending  by  Bethoren,  they  pitched  their  camp  at 
a  certain  place  called  Gabao,  fifty  furlongs  distant  from  Jerusalem." 


AI'PKNDIX.  455 

60.  This  being  the  first  approach  to  Jerusalem  by  this  great  army,  it  is 
important  to  notice  that  it  was  by  no  means  sudden  or  unexpected.  The  Jews 
knew  that  Cestius  was  conquering  his  way  gradually  up  the  coast,  and  east- 
erly toward  the  heart  of  the  country, —  not  in  the  direction  the  commenta- 
tors say, —  but  as  nearly  opposite  as  the  nature  of  the  country  permitted. 
Thus  far  we  have  tracked  the  approach  to  the  country,  the  invasion  of  it,  the 
portions  first  conquered,  the  general  and  divisional  marches,  the  final  approach 
to  Jerusalem,  and  we  find  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  either  in  unexpected- 
ness, suddenness,  or  direction  of  approach  and  conquest,  that  in  the  least  fa- 
vors the  popular  fancy  of  the  commentators ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  we  do 
find  everything  as  nearly  opposite  to  the  usual  representation  as  the  nature 
of  the  case  admitted. 

51.  The  army  was  now  encamped  a  few  miles  to  the  north-west  of  Jerusa- 
lem, preparing  to  march  against  the  city.     The  Jews  in  great  numbers  were 
assembled  at  the  feast  of  tabernacles.     But,   seeing  the   war  approaching  to 
their  metropolis,  they  abandoned  their  feasting,  took  to  their  arms,  and  sallied 
forth  to  attack  the  Romans  in  their  encampment.     This  they  did  so  effectual- 
ly, that  they  endangered  the  whole  army;  and  after  killing  515  of  the  Ro- 
mans, and  losing  22  of  their  own  number,   they  returned  to  the  city,   and 
prepared   for  the  coming  of  the  Roman  army.     Cestius  continued  at  Gabao 
three  days  after  the  battle :  and  the  Jews  improved  the  time  by  seizing  upon 
the  elevated  parts  of  the  city,  and  placing  guards  at  the  gates;  "and  appear- 
ed openly  resolved  not  to  rest,  when  once  the  Romans  should  begin  to  march." 

52.  The  Jews  were  so  thoroughly  apprized  of  the  coming  of  the  Romans, 
and  had  made  such  preparations  to  resist  them,  not  only  in  Jerusalem,  but  in 
the  mountainous  regions  around,  that  King  Agrippa  began  to  be  alarmed  lest 
the  Romans  should  meet  with  ill  success ;  and  the  Jews  who  seemed  to  con- 
trol the  affairs  in  the  city,  were  determined  to  resist  the  invaders.     The  state- 
ment of  Josephus  is :  "  And  now  when  Agrippa  observed  that  even  the  affairs 
of  the  Romans  were  likely  to  be  in  danger,  while  such  an  immense  multitude 
of  their  enemies  [the  enemies  of  the  Romans]  had  seized  upon  the  mountains 
round  about,  he  determined  to  try  what  the  Jews  would  agree  to  by  words, 
as  thinking  he  should  cause  the  sober  part  of  them  to  separate  themselves 
from  the  opposite  party."     So  he  sent  to  the  Jews  two  men  with  whom  the 
Jews  were  on  terms  of  acquaintance,  to  make  propositions  of  reconciliation 
to  the  Romans.     But  the  seditious  Jews  immediately  fell  upon  the  ambassa- 
dors and  killed  one  before  he  had  said  a  word,  and  wounded  the  other  so  that 
he  was  only   saved  by  flight.     The  other  party  among  the  Jews,  however, 
were  angry  at  this  couduct  of  the  seditious,   and  they  immediately  came  to 
blows  among  themselves. 

53.  "But  now  Cestius,  observing  that  the  disturbances  that  were  begun 
among  the  Jews,  afforded  him  a  proper  opportunity  to  attack  them,  took  hia 
whole  army  along  with  him,  and  put  the  Jews  to  flight,  and  pursued  them 
to  Jerusalem.     He  then  pitched  his   camp  xipon   the  elevation  called  Scopus, 
which  was  distant  seven  furlongs  from  the  city ;  yet  did  not  he  assault  them 
in  three  days  time,  out  of  expectation  that  those  within  might,  perhaps,  yield  a 
little." 


456  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

64.  Here  we  may  pause  again,  and  inquire  how  the  popolar  view  of  the 
commentators  agrees  with  the  facts  thus  far.  The  camp  of  the  Romans  is  now 
less  than  a  mile  north  of  the  city.  Did  they  approach  "from  east  to  west?  >; 
By  no  means :  it  was  from  north  to  south ;  and  when  they  deviated  from  a 
due  southerly  direction,  they  invariably  inclined  from  west  to  east.  So  much 
for  this  point :  now  for  the  other :  Was  their  coming  unlocked  for  and  sudden, 
like  the  lightning  flashing  from  one  end  of  the  heavens  to  the  other  ?  He 
who  can  show  any  —  the  least  —  foundation  for  such  a  comparison,  must  be 
equal  to  any  undertaking,  however  difficult.  We  behold  the  army  approach- 
ing from  a  position  300  miles  to  the  north,  moving  so  slowly  as  to  permit  all 
the  footmen  and  cumbersome  military  machines  to  keep  in  company :  halting 
regularly  along  the  coast  and  among  the  mountains ;  pausing  to  receive  and 
arrange  the  constantly  arriving  auxiliaries  ;  and  finally  establishing  a  general 
rendezvous  in  the  north-western  section  of  the  invaded  territory ;  from  thence 
going  out  to  destroy  and  pillage,  and  returning  again  ;  then  slowly  and  regu- 
larly approaching  the  capital,  pausing  to  conquer  as  they  advance :  finally 
approaching  and  encamping  a  few  miles  distant,  and  there  being  themselves 
first  attacked  by  the  Jerusalem  Jews  ;  tarrying  several  days,  and  then  advancing 
to  their  besieging  encampment,  seven  furlongs  north  of  the  city  ;  and  there 
continuing  in  plain  sight  of  all  the  people  until  the  fourth  day  ;  then,  in  cool 
}  lood,  putting  the  vast  army  into  regular  battle  array,  and  marching  delib- 
erately into  the  unfortified  suburbs  of  the  city,  burning  a  part,  and  then  com- 
ing into  the  upper  portion,  and  deliberately  pitching  his  camp.  He  who  can 
see  in  all  of  this  anything  to  compare  with  the  instantaneous  flash  of  the 
lighining,  filling  a  whole  hemisphere  in  a  moment  of  time,  must  be  more 
quick  to  discover  analogies  than  the  common  sort  of  people. 

65.  As  remarked  previously,  on  the  fourth  day  of  encamping  on  Mount 
Scopus,  Cestius  brought  his  army  into  the  undefended  suburbs  of  the  city, 
and  set  them  on  fire.     He  then  marched  into  the  upper  city,  and  pitched  his 
camp,  as  it  would  appear,  outside  of  the  walls,  opposite  to  the  royal  palace. 
He  had  not  yet  got  into  the  city  proper,  where  the  palace,  temple,  and  cita- 
del were.     And  Josephus  thinks   he  might  at  that  time  have  gotten  with 
in  the  walls,  if  he  had  attempted  it  by  force.     But  on  account  of  many  of 
his  officers  having  been  corrupted  by  Florus,  he  was  diverted  from  beginning 
his  attack  on  the  walls,  and  deferred  it  from  day  to  day,  while  the  moderate 
party  among  the  Jews  were  contriving  and  negotiating  to  get  Cestius  into  the 
city  without  coming  to  battle.     Josephus   says,    "  Whence  it  was  that  he  de 
lay ed  the  matter  so  long,  that  the  seditious   perceived  the  treachery"   of  the 
other  party,  and  began  an  attack  upon  them,  which  appears  to  have  been  the 
signal  for  the  Romans  themselves  to  begin  their  assault  upon  the  walls.     Was 
there  anything  like  the  rapid  lightning  in  all  this?     If  there  was,  then  what 
ordinary  military  movement  may  not  be  compared  to  the  electric  blaze  ? 

66.  "Thus  did  the  Romans  make  their  attack  against  the  wall  for  five  days, 
but  to  no  purpose."     Then  he  changed  his  plan,  and,  selecting  his  choice  men, 
attempted  to  break   into  the  temple   at  the  northern  quarter  of  it;  but  the 
Jews  beat  them  off  from  the  cloisters,  and  repulsed  them  several  times  when 
they  were  gotten  near  to  the  wall.     The  Romans  persevered,  however,  until 


APPENDIX.  4:57 

they  had  undermined  the  wall,  and  got  all  things  ready  for  setting  fire  to  the 
gate  of  the  temple. 

67.  "  And  now  it  was  that  a  horrible  fear  seized  upon  the  seditious,  inso- 
much that  many  of  them  ran  out  of  the  city,  as  though  it  were  to  be  taken 
immediately  ;  but  the  people  [of  the  other  party]  upon  this  took  courage,  and 
where  the  wicked  part  of  the  city  gave  ground,  thither  did  they  come,  in 
order  to  set  open  the  gates,  and  to  admit  Cestius  as  their  benefactor,  who,  had 
he  but  continued  the  siege  a  little  longer,  had  certainly  taken  the  city  ;  but 
it  was,  I  suppose,  owing  to  the  aversion  God  had  already  at  the  city  and  the 
sanctuary,  that  he  was  hindered  from  putting  an  end  to  the  war  that  very 
day.  It  then  happened  that  Cestius  was  not  conscious  either  how  the  be- 
sieged despaired  of  success,  nor  how  courageous  the  people  were  for  him ; 
and  so  he  recalled  his  soldiers  from  the  place,  and  by  despairing  of  any  ex- 
pectation of  taking  it,  without  having  received  any  disgrace,  he  retired  from 
the  city,  without  any  reason  in  the  world." 

58.  "But  when  the  robbers  perceived  this  unexpected  retreat  of  his,  they 
resumed  their  courage,  and  ran  after  the  hinder  parts  of  his  army,  and  destroy- 
ed a  considerable  number  both  of  their  horsemen  and  footmen."     It  appears 
now  to  have  been   evening.     The  army  remained  during  the  night  in  their 
entrenchments,  and  the  next  day  they  began  their  retreat     The  retreat  was 
soon  changed  into  a  flight;  and  the  Jewish  warriors,  hanging  upon  the  flanks 
and  rear  of  the  army,  did  them  immense  injury.     The  Eomans  finally  succeed- 
ed in  reaching  their  former  camp  at  Gabao,  and  continued  there  two  days  in 
great  alarm  and  distress.     But  as  the  Jews  were  continually  increasing  in  all 
parts  round  about  the   Romans,  Cestius  perceived  that  he  must  fly  from  the 
country  as  soon  as  possible.     So  he  commanded  them  to  destroy  and  cast 
away  everything  that  might  hinder  their  flight,  excepting  their  darts  and 
machines,  which  they  retained  for  their  own  use. 

59.  Then  the  second  retreat  began,  chased  and  harrassedby  the  Jews,  until 
it  became  a  disorderly,  ruinous  flight,  and  nothing  but  the  coming  of  night 
saved  the  army  from  entire  destruction.     Cestius  now  despairing  of  any  other 
method  of  getting  away,  selected  four  hundred  of  his  most  courageous  men, 
and  stationed  them  at  the  strongest  of  their  fortifications,  telling  them  to  erect 
their  ensigns  in  the  morning,  and  make  the  Jews  believe  that  the  whole  army 
was  there.     Then,  under  cover  of  the  darkness  of  the  night,  with  all  possible 
silence  und  haste,  the  rest  of  the  army  fled  for  their  lives,  leaving  the  400  to 
perish. 

60.  "When  the  Jews  perceived  in  the  morning  that  the  greater  part  of  the 
army  was  gone,  they  first  slew  the  400  that  remained,  and  continued  the  pur- 
suit, without  overtaking  them,   as  far  as  Antipatris.     The  Eomans  left  their 
engines,  and  other  instruments  of  war  all  along  the  way ;  and  thus  succeeded 
in  saving  the  most  of  their  lives.     But  5,300  footmen,  and  380  horsemen  per- 
ished    After  spoiling  the  dead,  and  gathering  up  what  the   Romans  had 
thrown  away  in  their  flight,  the  Jews,  having  lost  but  few  of  their  men,  re- 
turned running  and  singing  to  the  city.    Thus  ended  the  first  invasion  and 


4:58  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 


SYNOPSIS  CONTINUED. 

PART  II. — Period  —  From  the  Flight  of  Cestius  to  the  final  Seige  of 
Jerusalem  by  Titus. 

1.  AFTER  his  disastrous  defeat  and  flight,  "  Cestius  sent  Saul  and  his  friends, 
at  their  own  desire,  to  Achaia,  to  Nero,  to  inform  him  of  the  great  distress  they 
were  in,  and  to  lay  the  blame  of  their  kindling  the  war  upon  Florus,  as  ho- 
ping  to   alleviate   his   own   danger,  by  provoking  his  indignation   against 
Florus." 

2.  In  the  meantime,  the  people  of  Damascus,  when  they  were  informed  of 
the  destruction  of  the  Romans,  set  about  the  slaughter  of  those  Jews  that 
were  among  them."     They  had  already  shut  up  the  Jews  in  a  place  from 
which  they  could  neither  escape  nor  defend  themselves ;  and  in  one  hour  the 
people  of  Damascus  fell  upon  them  and  cut  the  throats  of  10,000  of  them. 

(  3.  The  Jews  at  Jerusalem  expected  the  Romans  to  return  again,  and  made  all 
possible  preparation  to  repel  them.  The  second  Roman  invasion  was  neither  un- 
lookedfor,  nor  unprepared  for.  The  first  effort  of  the  Jews  was  to  become 
united  among  themselves.  So  they  overbore  by  violence  such  as  would  still 
favor  the  Romans,  and  others  they  persuaded  by  entreaties  to  join  in  the  re- 
bellion, until,  as  it  would  appear,  they  were  wholly  united  in  their  purpose 
of  resisting  the  Roman  power.  They  then  got  together  in  great  numbers  in 
the  temple,  and  made  their  preparations  for  the  expected  war. 

4.  They  first  chose  "  a  great  many  generals "  for  the  command  of  their  for- 
ces.    Then  they  appointed  governors  to  take  charge  of  all  things  in  the  city, 
"  with  a  particular  charge  to  repair  the  walls  of  the  city  ;"  for  the  war,  was  not 
unexpected.     Then  they  appointed  generals  for  all  other  portions  of  the  coun- 
try.    Two  were  appointed  for  Idumea,  and  the  governor  of  that  section  was 
instructed  to  obey  them.     Another  general  was  sent  to  command  at  Jericho ; 
another  to  Perea ;  another  to  the  toparchy  of  Thamna ;  another  had  charge  of 
the  toparchies  of  Gofnitica  and  Acrabatene ;  and  JOSEPHUS,  the  author  of  the 
history,  was  appointed  general  of  both  the  Galilees  and  the  strong  city  of 
Gamala. 

5.  "So  every  one  of  the  other  commanders  administered  the  affairs  of  his 
portion  with  what  alacrity  and  prudence  they  were  masters  of."     Every  one 
seemed  intent  on  doing  his  best  to  prepare  for  the  expected  contest.     Josephus 
immediately  went  to  his  post  in  Galilee,  took  measures  to  secure  the  confi- 
dence and  cooperation  of  the  people,  chose  a  great  number  of  the  most  prudent 
and  eminent  among  them  to  aid  him  in  municipal  and  judicial  affairs,  and,  as 
a  prudent  and  enterprising  governor,  took  every  practicable  measure  to  secure 
the  peace,  union,  and  efficiency  of  the  people. 

6.  Having  done  this,  to  quote  his  own  words,  he  "betook  himself  to  make 
provision  for  their  safety  against  external  violence ;  and  as  he  knew  the  Romans 


APPENDIX* 

would  fall  upon  Galilee"  he  went  busily  to  -work  to  fortify  the  country;  he 
built  walls  about  the  principal  cities  in  upper  and  lower  Galilee ;  and  about 
some  of  the  cities  in  Gaulanitis ;  besides  fortifying  some  of  the  caves  and  other 
strong  places  of  natural  defence.  Everywhere  throughout  the  country  the 
people  were  by  many  thousands  at  work  preparing  for  the  next  invasion,  by 
strengthening  their  places  of  dwelling  and  retreat. 

7.  Nor  was  this  all:     Josephus  "also  got  together  an  army  out  of  Galilee 
of  more  than  a  hundred  thousand  young  men,  all  of  which  he  armed  with  the 
old  weapons  which  he  had  collected  together  and  prepared  for  them.     And 
when  he  considered  that  the  Roman  power  became  invincible,  chiefly  by  theit 
readiness  in  obeying  orders,  and  the  constant  exercise  of  their  arms,  he  des- 
paired of  teaching  these  his  men  the  use  of  their  arms  which  was  to  be  ob- 
tained by  experience ;  but  observing  that  their  readiness  in  obeying  orders 
was  owing  to  the  multitude  of  their  officers,  he  made  his  partitions  in  his 
army  more  after  the  Roman  manner,  and  appointed  a  great  many  subalterns. 
He  also  distributed  the  soldiers  into  various  classes,  whom  he  put  under  cap 
tains  of  tens,  and  captains  of  hundreds,  and  then  captains  of  thousands;  and, 
besides  these,  he  had  commanders  of  larger  bodies  of  men.     He  also  taught 
them  to  give  the  signals  one  to  another,  and  to  call  and  recall  the  soldiers  by 
the  trumpets ;  how  to  expand  the  wings  of  an  army,  and  make  them  wheel 
about ;  and  when  one  wing  hath  had  success,  to  turn  again  and  assist  those 
that  were  hard  set,  and  to  join  in  the  defence  of  what  had  most  suffered.     He 
also  continually  instructed  them  in  what  concerned  the  courage  of  the  soul, 
and  the  hardiness  of  the  body ;  and,  above  all,  he  exercised  them  for  war,  by 
declaring  to  them  distinctly  the  good  order  of  the  Romans,  and  that  they  were 
to  fight  with  men  who  by  the  strength  of  their  bodies,  and  courage  of  their  souls, 
had  conquered  in  a  manner  the  whole  habitable  earth." 

8.  This  long  extract  has  been  selected  as  a  good  specimen  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  Jews  prepared  themselves  for  the  anticipated  invasion.     Out  of  the 
100,000,  Josephus  chose  for  active  service  60,000  footmen,  and  a  body  of  horse- 
men, besides  4, 500  mercenaries,  and  a  body  guard  of  600.     The  rest  of  the  so 
diers  were  employed  in  the  cities,  doing  appropriate  work,  or  in  procuring 
provisions  for  those  in  actual  service. 

9.  In  Jerusalem,  too,  the  same  warlike  preparations  were  going  on.     "  They 
betook  themselves  to  make  preparations  for  the  war  with  the   Romans." 
"  The  high  priest  Ananus,  and  as  many  of  the  men  of  power  as  were  not  in  the 
interest  of  the  Romans,  both  repaired  the  walls,  and  made  a  great  many  war- 
like instruments,  insomuch  that  in  all  parts  of  the  city  darts  and  all  sorts  of 
armor  were  upon  the  anvil."     These  preparations  for  war  were  a  great  grief 
to  the  more  prudent  part  of  the  people,  for  they  knew  that  the  Romans 
would  come  again,  and  they  expected  nothing  else  but  the  overthrow  and  des- 
olation of  the  city.     In  the  face  of  all  the  commentators  previously  quoted, 
the  writer  here  boldly  affirms,  that  the  coming  of  the  Romans  Was  not,  as  the 
lightning,  either  sudden,  unprepared  for,  or  unexpected. 

10.  When  the  emperor  Nero  heard  of  the  state  of  things  in  Judea  he  was 
greatly  troubled,  and  scarcely  knew  what  to  do.     He  finally  determined  to 
•end  the  veteran  and  successful  general  Vespasian  into  Judea,  with  such  for- 


4:60  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

ces  and  provisions  for  "  so  mighty  a  war,"  as  would  be  likely  to  insure  success. 
Vespasian  had  succeeded  in  re-subjecting  the  Germans  and  Britons,  and  Nero 
did  not  misjudge  in  supposing  him  equal  to  the  task  of  re-subjecting  the  Jews. 
The  emperor,  Vespasian,  and  Titus  all  appear  to  have  been  at  this  time  in 
Achaia. 

11.  From  this  point  both  Vespasian  and  Titus  started  for  Judea:     Titus  was 
sent  across  the  sea  to  Alexandria,   "to  bring  back  with  him  from  thence  the 
5th  and  the  10th  legions ;"  but  Vespasian  himself  went  by  land  into  Syria. 
His  course  was  first  around  the  Egean  sea,  then  across  the  Hellespont  into 
Asia,  then  through  Asia  Minor,  around  the  northeast  corner  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean ;  thus  coming  by  land  into  Syria,  and  halted  at  Antioch,  300  miles 
north  of  Jerusalem.     Here  he  found  King  Agrippa  with  his  forces  waiting  for 
him;  and  here  he  gathered  together  the  Roman  soldiers,  with  a  considerable 
number   of  auxiliaries  from  the  neighboring  kings.     This  being  the  second 
invading  army,  we  will  from  this  point  mark  their  advances  and  conquests, 
with  the  assertions  of  the  commentators  before  us. 

12.  "  And  now  Vespasian  took  along  with  him  his  army  from  Antioch,  .  .  . 
and  marched  to  Ptolemais."     Thus  we  perceive  that  he  came  to  the  Jewish 
country — not  from  east  to  west  —  but  up  the  coast  from  north  to  south.     He  is 
now  ready  to  begin  his  conquests — not  in  the  east,  as  the  commentators  say, 
but  in  the  north-west.     Here  the  citizens  of  Sepphoris,  the  largest  city  in  Gal- 
ilee, met  him  in  peace,  and  received  a  Roman  garrison  to  protect  them  from 
the  Jews  who  were  determined  on  the  war.     Soon  after  this,  Josephus  made 
an  attempt  to  get  the  city  back  into  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  but  did  not  suc- 
ceed.    "By  this  means  he  provoked  the  Romans  to  treat  the  country  accord- 
ing to  the  law  of  war;"  and  they  overran  the  country  about,  "so  that  Galilee 
was  all  over  filled  with  fire  and  blood."     Here  in  the  north,  beginning  from 
the  west,  began  this  campaign  of  conquests. 

13.  While  Vespasian  continued  his  headquarters  at  Ptolemais  on  the  coast, 
Titus  arrived  from  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  bringing  with  him  the  5th  and  10th 
legions  for  which  he  had  been  sent,  and  the  two  armies  were  then  united  into 
one.     Eighteen  cohorts  followed  these  legions;  some  came  also  from  Cesarea  ; 
some  from  Syria ;  some  came  from  the  Kings  Antiochus,  Agrippa,  and  Sohe- 
mus ;  and  6,000  came  from  the  King  of  Arabia.     "The  whole  army,  including 
the  auxiliaries  sent  by  the  kings,  as  well  horsemen  as  footmen,  when  all  were 
united  together,  amounted  to  60,000,  besides  the  servants,  who    as  they  fol- 
lowed in  vast  numbers,  so  because  they  had  been  trained  up  in  war  with  the 
rest,  ought  not  to  be  distinguished  from  the  fighting  men." 

14.  Here,  then,  is  the  grand  army,  concentrated  on  the  coast,  in  the  north- 
west quarter  of  the  Jewish  territories.     The  larger  portion  of  them  came  into 
the  country  from  the  north;  two  legions  came  from  the  south-west,  andnoton«f, 
BO  far  as  the  history  shows,  from  the  east;  for  the  Arabians  who  are  epoken 
of,  and  the  other  auxiliaries,  joined  Vespasian  at  Antioch,  as  will  appear  from 
B.  8.  c.  1,  sec.  3,  compared  with  c.  2,  sec.  4,  and  c.  4,  sec.  2. 

15.  The  next  expedition  was  against  Jotapata,  in  the  north  part  of  Galilee. 
Only  a  part  of  the  army  was  employed  in  this  enterprise,  and  were  led  on  by 
Placidua,    He  failed  in  his  attempt,  and  retired.    Vespasian  then  led  his  army 


APPENDIX.  461 

into  Galilee,  the  Jews  everywhere  flying  before  him  into  the  cities  -which  had 
not  yet  surrendered.  First  he  went  to  Gadara,  and  destroyed  it,  and  all  the 
towns  about  it.  This  Gadara  was  not  the  Gadara  on  the  east  of  Jordan ;  we 
have  an  account  of  the  subjection  of  that  city  in  B.  4,  c.  7,  s.  3.  There  was 
another  Gadara  south  of  Cesarea,  near  the  coast,  as  may  be  seen  by  consulting 
Smiley's  "  Scripture  Geography,"  and  also  the  map  in  Watson's  Dictionary. 
But  this  Gadara  appears  to  have  been  as  much  too  far  south,  as  the  former  was 
to  the  east,  to  have  agreed  with  the  present  position  and  operations  of  the 
army,  which  was  at  this  time  in  the  region  of  Jotapata,  The  city  in  question 
was  probably  Gabara,  which  was  not  far  from  Jotapata,  and  in  the  region  first 
invaded  by  the  army  at  this  time. 

16.  Vespasian  then  led  the  whole  army  against  Jotapata,  into  which,  after 
a  few  days,  Josephus  himself  entered  to  aid  in  defending  the  place.     This  town 
was  nearly  impregnable,  and  withstood  the  whole  force  of  the  Romans  for 
seven  weeks.     The  city  was  then  taken,  and  the  inhabitants  found  in  it  destroy- 
ed.    Josephus  himself  was  taken  prisoner  at  this  time,  and  was  kept  with  the 
Roman  army  during  the  war.     During  the  siege  of  this  city,  a  party  was  sent 
against  the  adjacent  city  of  Japha,  which  was  destroyed,  with  all  its  inhabi- 
tants.    At  the  same  time  another  party  was  sent  against  a  multitude  that  had 
gotten  together  on  Mount  Gerizim,  in  Samaria. 

17.  Vespasian  and  the  army  then  returned  to  Ptolemais.     From  thence  they 
•went  up  the  coast  south  to  Cesarea,  where  two  legions  were  left  for  winter  quar- 
ters.    Two  legions  were  also  sent  to  winter  in  Sythopolis,  in  the  south-eastern 
part  of  Galilee.     About  this  time  a  party  was  sent  up  the  coast  as  far  as 
Joppa,  which  the  Jews  had  repaired,  and  undertook  to  defend  against  the  Ro- 
mans.    The  city  was  again  taken,  and  the  surrounding  region  laid  waste. 

18.  Vespasian  then  took  that  portion  of  the  army  which  had  not  already 
gone  into  winter  quarters,  and  went  to  Cesarea  Philippi,  on  the  head  waters 
of  the  Jordan,  it  being  the  capital  of  King  Agrippa's  dominions.     There  he 
was    feasted  by  Agrippa,  and  his  army  refreshed  for  twenty  days.     Hearing 
then  that  Tiberias  and  Tarrichea,  (both  situated  on  the  western  coast  of  the 
eea  of  Galilee,  and  both  belonging  to  Agrippa's  kingdom,)  had  revolted,  he 
undertook  an  expedition  against  them  on  Agrippa's  account.     So  Titus  was 
sent  to  Cesarea  on  the  Mediterranean,  to  bring  the  two  legions  from  thence  to 
Sythopolis,  which  was  "in  the  neighborhood  of  Tiberias,"  to  which  place 
Vespasian  himself  also  came,  and  waited  for  Titus.     "With  three  legions  he 
then  marched  towards  Tiberias,  and  pitched  his  camp  thirty  furlongs  off,  at  a 
place  called  Sennabris. 

19.  After  an  act  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  Tiberians,  the  city 
was  finally  surrendered  peaceably  to  the  Romans,  and  the  inhabitants  spared. 
Tarrichea  resisted  the  Romans  ;  but  was  at  last  taken,  after  a  long  and  terri- 
ble struggle  both  on  the  land  and  on  the  lake.     6,500  were  slain  during  the 
battles;  1,200  were  killed  after  the  city  was  taken  ;  6,000  young  men  were 
sent  to  Nero,  to  be  used  in  digging  through  the   Corinthian  isthmus ;  30,000 
others  were  sold  as  slaves,  besides  some  who  were  given  to  King  Agrippa. 

20.  The  next  expedition  was  against  Gamala,  east  of  the  Jordan,  which  seems 
to  have  been  the  first  time  any  conquests  were  attempted  east  of  the  river. 


462  HARMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

But  all  the  places  in  Galilee,  excepting  Gischala,  and  a  fortification  upon 
Mount  Tabor,  had  already  been  subdued,  or  surrendered ;  and  the  plan  of 
Vespasian  was  to  subdue  all  the  NORTH  parts  of  the  Jewish  country,  before 
going  south  towards  Jerusalem.  Therefore,  having  subjected  all  the  north- 
vest,  he  crosses  the  Jordan  to  subdue  the  north-east.  During  the  siege  of  Gamala 
a  troop  of  six  hundred  horsemen  were  sent  to  destroy  those  that  had  seized 
upon  Mount  Tabor.  If  this  party  of  horsemen  went  to  Tabor  from  Gamala,  as 
it  seems  likely,  then  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  one  instance,  a  party  of  six 
hundred  marched  from  east  to  west  in  going  from  the  siege  of  Gamala  to  de- 
stroy a  company  upon  Mount  Tabor.  This  instance  is  distinctly  noticed  and 
admitted,  that  the  full  benefit  of  it  may  be  applied  to  the  defence  of  the  sere- 
ral  commentators  who  have  found  it  so  important  to  apply  the  illustration  of 
the  flashing  lightning  to  the  march  and  conquests  of  the  Romans.  Perhaps 
our  Saviour,  overlooking  all  the  general  marches,  and  sweeping  conquests  of 
the  main  army,  had  this  expedition  of  Placidu's  600  horsemen  so  distinctly  in 
view,  as  to  make  it  the  general  characteristic  of  the  whole  war  during  the 
three  general  invasions  1 

21.  After  a  long  and  bloody  siege,  Gamala  was  finally  taken  ;  and  the  whole 
population  perished,  either  by  the  Romans,  or  by  self-destruction.     This  hap- 
pened on  the  23d  day  of  Tisri,  answering  to  the  latter  part  of  our  September, 
or  the  first  part  of  October.     Soon  after  this,  Gischala,  the  last  unsubdued 
place  in  Galilee,  was  surrendered  to  the  Romans ;  "And  thus  was  all  Galilee 
taken,  but  this  not  until  after  it  had  cost  the  Romans  much  pains  before  it 
eould  be  taken  by  them." 

22.  About  this  time  occurred  some  of  the  most  terrible  commotions  among 
the  Jews  in  Jerusalem,  in  consequence  of  the  rival  leaders,  and  conflicting 
parties.     The  Jews  at  Jerusalem,  and  in  some  other  places  in  the  country, 
seem  to  have  suffered  about  as  much  from  dissensions  among  themselves,  as 
they  did  from  the  efforts  of  the  Romans.     This  state  of  their  affairs  was  known 
everywhere,  for  as  many  as  could  fled  from  the  capital,  and  carried  the  news 
of  the  dreadful  commotions  among  the  desperate  Jews. 

23.  "And  now  all  the  rest  of  the  commanders  of  the  Romans  deemed  this 
sedition  among  enemies  to  be  of  great  advantage  to  them,  and  were  very  earnest 
to  march  to  the  city;  and  they  urged  Vespasian,  as  their  lord  and  general  in  all 
eases,  to  make  hatte ;"     but  Vespasian  would  not  comply  with  their   counsel, 
and  purposely  delay  his  march  upon  Jerusalem,  for  reasons  which  satisfied  his 
army  that  he  was  wise  in  refusing  their  advice. 

24.  Many  of  those  that  fled  from  Jerusalem  also  urged  Vespasian  to  pro- 
ceed at  once  to  that  city,  and,  by  taking  the  place  himself,  prevent  the  total 
destruction  of  the  people  from  conflicts  among  themselves.     "  Vespasian  did, 
indeed,  already  pity  the  calamities  these  men  were  in,  and  arose,  in  appear- 
ance, as  though  he  were  going  to  besiege  Jerusalem,  but  in  reality  to  deliver 
them  from  a  [worse]  siege  they  were  already  under.     However,  he  was  obliged 
to  overthrow  what  remained  elsewhere,  and  to  leave  nothing  out  of  Jerusalem 
behind  him  that  might  interrupt  him  in  that  siege." 

25.  The  next  general  movement  of  the  army  was  south  to    Gadara,  the 
metropolis  of  Perea.    This  was  on  the  4th  day  of  Adar,  answering  to  our  Feb- 


APPENDIX.  463 

ruary  and  March ;  and  it  was  nearly  five  months  after  the  taking  of  Gamala. 
So  slowly  did  the  war  proceed,  and  so  resolutely  did  the  Roman  general  gov- 
ern his  operations  by  the  counsels  of  prudence  which  often  restrained  the  rage 
and  zeal  of  his  army. 

26.  Gadara  was  surrendered  to  Vespasian  without  resistance,  and  many  of 
those  who  were  anxious  to  continue  the  war  fled  from  the  place.     To  destroy 
these,  the  general  sent  Placidus  with  500  horse  and  3,000  foot,  while  the  rest 
of  the  army  returned  to  Cesarea.     Placidus  continued  in  Perea,  on  the  east 
of  Jordan,  conquering  his  way  up  southward,  until  all  east  of  Jordan  as  far 
south  as  the  Dead  Sea,  was  subdued.     In  a  word,  the  Romans  had  now  con- 
quered two  portions  of  the  Jewish  provinces,  —  Galilee,  in  the  north-west,   and 
Perea,  in  the  north-east.     The  commencement  and  progress  of  the  conquests 
are  as  distinctly  discoverable  as  the  route  of  the  invasion.     They  begun  the 
conquests  on  the  west  side  of  the  northern  portion  of  the  country.     The  gene- 
ral direction  of  the  conquest  of  this  portion  was  from   west  to  east,  precisely 
opposite  to  the  direction  so  much  insisted  upon  by  many  of  the  commentators. 
The  general  direction  of  the  conquest  of  the  next  portion  was  from  north  to 
south, — from  Gamala,  on  the  sea  of  Galilee,  to  the  Dead  Sea. 

27.  While  Vespasian  was  refreshing  his  army  at  Cesarea,  he  heard  of  the 
commotions  of  the  Roman  empire  in  other  places,  and  of  the  revolt  from  Nero. 
This  excited  him  to  go  on  more  briskly  with  the  war,  that  he  might  finish  his 
work  in  the  eastern  parts  of  the  empire,  and  be  ready  to  act  elsewhere.     But 
as  the  winter  still  hindered  him  from  going  into  the  field,  he  begun  to  repair 
and  garrison  the  places  which  had  been  conquered,  and  in  the  beginning  of 
the  spring  he  resumed  his  conquests. 

28.  His  first  march  was  from  Cesarea  south  to  Antipatris.     There  he  tarried 
two  days,  and  on  the  third  day  proceeded  onward  toward  Jerusalem,  destroy- 
ing the  country  as  he  advanced.     Laying  waste  the  toparchy  of  Thamnas,  he 
passed  on  to  Lydda  and  to  Jamnia.     He  has  now  conquered  his  way  up  the 
western  border  of  the  country,  from  north  to  south,  and  is  now  at  Jamnia,  on 
the  coast  west  of  Jerusalem.     From  this  place  he  went  directly  toward  Jeru- 
salem, and  about  half-way  to  the  city,  and  stopped  at  Emmaus.     [See  Robin- 
son's Map.]     This  last  march  was  from  west  to  east,  bearing  a  little  to  the  south. 
Here  he  seized  upon  the  passages  leading   to  the  capital,  fortified  his  camp, 
left  the  fifth  legion  for  a  garrison,  and  marched  to  the  toparchy  of  Bethlephon. 
It  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  ascertain  the  precise  location  of  this  topar- 
chy.    It  is  quite  certain,  however,  that  it  was  on  the  route  of  Vespasian's 
progress  from  Emmaus  up  southerly  into  Idumea.     This  will  be  evident  from 
the  next  sentence  that  follows  the  mention  of  this  toparchy :    "  He  then  de- 
stroyed that  place  and  the  neighboring  places  by  fire,  and  fortified  at  proper 
places  the  strongholds  all  about  Idumea" 

29.  He  then  seized  upon  two  villages  that  "  were  in  the  very  midst  of  Idu- 
mea," and  slew  above  10,000,  carried  into  captivity  above  1,000,  and  drove  the 
rest  of  the  multitude  away.     Leaving  there  "  no  small  part  of  his  own  forces," 
who  overrun   and  laid  waste  the  whole  mountainous  country,  he  returned 
•with  the  rest  of  his  army  to   Emmaus ;  and  from  thence  he  passed  down 
through  Samaria,  and  pitched  hia  camp  near  Sychem.     The  next  day  he  went 


464  HARMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

to  Jericho.     In  this  march  he  went  south  east,  and  we  now  find  him  nearly 
east  of  Jerusalem. 

30.  This  was  on  the  3d  day  of  Sivan,  answering  to  our  May  and  June.    Thus 
two  or  three  months  had  been  occupied  in  the  campaign  of  conquest  on  the 
west  and  south  of  Jerusalem.     At  Jericho  Vespasian  was  joined  by  the  forces 
that  had  subdued  Perea,  and  the  army  was  once  more  ready  to  begin  another 
campaign.     The  country  all  "  round  about  Jerusalem,"  as  Josephus  says,  had 
been  fortified ;  and  now  Vespasian  erected  and  garrisoned  citadels  in  Jericho, 
and  Adida,  and  sent  a  body  of  horse  and  foot  against  Gerasa,  which  was  situ- 
ated to  the  north-east  across  the  Jordan.     That  city  and  the  neighboring  villa- 
ges were  all  destroyed,  and  the  detachment  returned. 

31.  Josephus  informs  us  of  the  state  of  the  conquests  at  this  juncture : 
"And  now  the  war  having  gone  through  all  the  mountainous  country,  and  all 
the  plain  country  also,  those  that  were  at  Jerusalem  were  deprived  cf  the  lib- 
erty of  going  out  of  the  city :    for  as  to  such  as  had  a  mind  to  desert,  they 
were  watched  by  the  zealots ;  and  as  to  such  as  were  not  yet  on  the  side  of 
the  Romans,  their  army  kept  them  in,  by  encompassing  the  city  round  about 
on  all  sides."     It  is  evident,  however,  that  this  does  not  mean  that  the  city 
was  besieged,  but  that  the  whole  surrounding  country  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Romans,  and  that  access  to  the  city,  and  escape  from  it,  were  not  possible,  ex- 
cept by  the  permission  of  the  Romans. 

32.  Instead  of  marching  against  the  metropolis  at  this  time,  Vespasian  went 
back  to  Cesarea,  for  the  purpose,  it  would  seem,  of  getting  all  his  available 
forces  together,  and  preparing  them  for  the  siege  of  Jerusalem.     Then  he 
heard  of  the  death  of  Nero,  and  of  the  commotions  in  various  parts  of  the 
empire.     "  Wherefore  Vespasian  put  off  at  first  his  expedition  against  Jeru- 
salem, and  stood  waiting  whither  the  empire  would   be  transferred  after  the 
death  of  Nero."     The  remainder  of  the  summer  and  the  autumn  were  spent 
in  this  suspense  and  delay.     In  the  winter  King  Agrippa  and  Titus  started  for 
Rome  to  confer  with  the  new  emperor.     But  while  they  were  sailing  along 
by  the  coasts  of  Achaia,  they  heard  of  the  emperor's  death ;  and  although  King 
Agrippa  thought  best  to  proceed  to  Rome,  Titus  was  induced  to  return  to 
Vespasian  at  Cesarea. 

33.  "And  now  they  were  both  in  suspense  about  the  public  affairs,  the  Ro- 
man empire  being  then  in  a  fluctuating  condition,  and  did  not  go  on  with  their 
expedition  against  the  Jews,  but  thought  that  to  make  an  attack  upon  foreign- 
ers was  now  unseasonable,  on  account  of  the  solicitude  they  were  in  for  their 
own  country."     Thus  was  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  delayed  for  a  long  time ; 
while  the  invaders  are  concentrated  in  Cesarea,  waiting  for  orders  from  the 
emperor. 

34.  The  first  movement  of  the  army  in  the  next  campaign,  was  on  the  6th 
day  of  Sivan,  just  one  year  from  the  time  Vespasian  came  to  Cesarea  to  pre- 
pare to  go  against  Jerusalem.     And  now,  after  this  year's  delay,  Vespasian 
"marched   against   those   places  of  Judea  which  were  not  yet   overthrown." 
This  was  the  march  that  was  intended  to  lead  to  Jerusalem.     We  can  plainly 
perceive  the  direction  of  the  route :  it  was  from  Cesarea  on  the  coast  to  the 
•'  mountainous  country,"  where  they  "  took  those  two  toparchiea  that  were 


APPENDIX.  465 

called  the  GophniticTc  and  Acrabattene"  Acrabi,  which  gave  name  to  one  to- 
parchy,  was  in  the  southern  part  of  Samaria,  a  little  east  of  north  of  Jerusa- 
lem; Gophna,  which  gave  name  to  the  other  toparchy,  was  directly  north  of 
Jerusalem.  Coming  from  Cesarea  to  these  places,  the  army  went  in  a  southerly 
course,  bearing  to  the  east. 

35.  The  next  movements  were  to  take  and  garrison   Bethel   and  Ephraim, 
two  small  cities  in  the  vicinity  of  Gophna,  and  of  course  directly  north  of  Je- 
rusalem. And  from  this  point,  Vespasian  "  rode  as  far  as  Jerusalem,  in  which 
march  he  took  many  prisoners  and  many  captives."     The  approach  to  the 
city,  then,  was  from  the  north.     At  this  time,  one  of  the  commanders  was 
dispatched  with  a  body  of  horse  and  foot  to  lay  waste  the  part  of  the  country 
that  was  called  Upper  Idumea.     This  appears  to  have  been  the  hill  country 
south  of  Jerusalem.     In   this  expedition,  Hebron  was  taken  and  destroyed. 
And  now  "all  the  places  were  taken,  excepting  Herodium,  and  Masada,  and 
Macherus,  which  were  in  the  possession  of  the   robbers."     Thus  those  very 
places  which  the  Romans  had  not  conquered  were  east,  or  easterly,  from  Jeru- 
salem, as  may  be  seen  by  the  maps.  So  much  for  the  direction  of  this  "  lightning !  " 

36.  Nothing  was  done  to   subdue  the   metropolis  at  this  time.     It  would 
seem  as  if  Providence  had  determined  to  warn  the  people,  and  to  show  them 
their  danger,  time  after  time,  and  year  after  year,  before  inflicting  the  final 
blow.     For  now,  after  subduing  the  neighboring  country,  and  marching  to  see 
the  city,  Vespasian  led  his  armies  once  more  back  again  to  Cesarea.     So  much 
for  the  suddenness  and  unexpectedness  of  this  "lightning!"     If  the  matter 
were  not  too  serious,  it  would  be  a  beautiful  subject  for  derision  or  jest. 

37.  Now  the  news  came  of  another  overturn  of  the  imperial  power,  and 
that  Vitellius  was  emperor.     This  exciting  the  indignation  of  Vespasian  and 
the  army,  it  was  determined  by  the  soldiers  in  Judea  that  Vespasian  should 
be  emperor  himself.     So  they  made  the  proclamation,  and  the  general  was 
induced  to  accept  the  title.     The  thoughts  of  Vespasian  and  the  army  were 
now  for  a  time  withdrawn  from  the  Jewish  war,  and  engaged  with  the  affairs 
of  the  government  of  the  empire.     And  at  this  time  Vespasian  removed  to  the 
city  of  Berytus,  north  of  the  Jewish  provinces.     After  remaining  for  a  time 
there,  he  removed  to  Antioch,  the  capital  of  Syria.     It  was  now  the  "  middle 
of  winter"  but  little  had  been  done  in   the  Jewish  war  during  the  previous 
campaign  ;  and,  indeed,  comparatively  little  had  been  done  for  a  year  and  a 
half.     Thus  ended  the  second  invasion  of  the  Jewish  territories  during  this 
war;  and  Jerusalem  was  yet  unconquered ;  and,  except  the  abortive  attempt 
of  Cestius,  the  city  had  been  unvisited  by  any  direct  infliction  from  the  Ro- 
man power. 

88.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  third  and  final  invasion  of  the  Roman*.  The 
next  spring,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  70,  after  the  imperial  government  had 
become  somewhat  settled,  "  Vespasian  turned  his  thoughts  to  what  remained 
unsubdued  in  Judea."  He  was  then  at  Alexandria  in  Egypt.  Finding  it  ex- 
pedient to  go  to  Italy  himself,  he  left  the  finishing  of  the  war  to  his  son  TITUS. 
Josephus  has  left  us  sufficient  information  of  the  marches  and  operation! 
of  this  last  invasion.  We  can  do  no  better  than  to  quote  his  very  particular 
account  n*  t>ift  appro* *»h  of  the  army. 


466  HAKMONY   AND  EXPOSITION. 

39.  Starting  from  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  a  little  south  of  west  from  Jerusa- 
lem, we  thus  trace  their  progress :    Vespasian  "  sent  his  son  Titus,  with  a  se- 
lect part  of  his  army,  to  destroy  Jerusalem.     So  Titus  marched  on  foot  as  far 
as  Nicopolis,  which  is  distant  twenty  furlongs  from  Alexandria :  there  he  put 
his  army  on  board  some  long  ships,  and  sailed  upon  the  river  along  the  Men- 
desian  Nomus,  as  far  as  the  city  Thmuis :  there  he  got  out  of  the  ships,   and 
went  on  foot  and  lodged  all  night  at  a  small  city  called  Tanis.     His  second 
station  was  Heracleopolis,  and  his  third,  Pelusim.     He  then  refreshed  his  army 
at  that  place  for  two  days,  and  on  the  third,  passed   over  the  mouths  of  the 
Nile  at  Pelusim.     He  then  proceeded  one  station  over  the  desert,  and  pitched 
his  camp  at  the   temple  of  the  Casian  Jupiter,  and  on  the  next  at  Ostracene. 
This  station  had  no  water,  but  the  people  of  the  country  make  use  of  water 
brought  from  other  places.     After  this  he  rested  at  Rhinocolura,  and  from 
thence  he  went  to   Raphia,  which  was  his  fourth  station.     This  city  is  the 
beginning  of  Syria." 

40.  The  army  has  now  reached  the  border  of  the  Jewish  country.     By  what 
course  did  they  come  ?     Was  it  "  from  east  to  west"  as  so  many  have  supposed? 
No ;  but  as  nearly  opposite  to  that  course  as  the  situation  of  the  country  per- 
mitted.    "We  will  now  follow  their  marches  in  the  Jewish  territories.     "  For 
his  fifth  station,  he  pitched  his  camp  at  Gaza  :    after  which  he  came  to  Asca- 
lon,  and  thence  to  Jamnia,  and  after  that  to  Joppa,  and  from  Joppa  to  CESAREA, 
having  taken  a  resolution  to  gather  all  his  other  forces  together  at  that  place." 
They  approached  the  country  at  its  south-west  border,  and  first  marched  north- 
east, then  nearly  due  north,  to  reach  the  place  of  general  rendezvous,  to  pre- 
pare for  the  siege  of  Jerusalem. 

41.  From  Cesarea,  then,  on  the  western  border  of  the  country,  and  a  little 
west  of  north  of  Jerusalem,  the  army  is  concentrated  for  its  march  upon  the 
metropolis.     Their  approach  to  the  city  will  not  be  exactly  as  one  excellent 
divine  has  it,  who  only  a  little  improved  upon  the  fashion  of  saying  that  the 
route  of  the  Romans  was  indicated  by  the  lightning  flashing  from  east  to  west : 
" — By  the  sudden  and  general  meeting  of  the  Roman  armies  in  march,  from 
the  east  to  the  west,  all  hastening  from  the  Mediterranean  coasts  on  the  EAST(!) 
toward  Jerusalem  on  the  WEST  " ! ! 

42.  Titus,  when  he  had  gotten  together  part  of  his  forces  about  him,  and 
had  ordered  the  rest  to  meet  him  at  Jerusalem,  marched  out  of  Cesarea.     He 
had  with  him  those  three  legions  that  had  accompanied  his  father  when  he  laid 
Judea  waste,  together  with  that  twelfth  legion  which  had  been  formerly  beat- 
en with  Cestius."     In  approaching  Jerusalem,  it  was  judged  expedient  not  to 
go  up  all  in  a  body,  but  to  take  the  three  principal  routes  from  Cesarea  to  Je- 
rusalem.    Titus,  with  the  main  body  of  the  army,  went  up  through  Samaria 
to  Gophna,  where  there  was  already  a  Roman  garrison.     After  making  a  little 
detour  to  the  east,  in  order  to  reach  the  main  road  through  Samaria,  the  course 
of  Titus  in  approaching  the   metropolis  was  from  north  to  south.     Reaching 
Gophna,  directly  north  of  the  city,  he  halted  for  one  night ;  then  he  came  to 
Gibeah  of  Saul,  three  or  four  miles  north  of  Jerusalem,  and  made  his  encamp- 
ment. 

43.  The  tenth  legion  he  directed  to  go  up  through  Jericho.    Now  it  is  cer- 


APPENDIX.  467 

tain  that  Jericho  -was  only  a  little  north  of  east  of  Jerusalem.  In  going  from 
Jericho  to  Jerusalem,  it  is  admitted  distinctly  that  this  part  of  the  army  ap- 
proached the  capital  from  the  east.  And,  as  in  the  case  of  the  six  hundred 
under  Placidus,  so  in  the  case  of  these  six  thousand,  the  full  benefit  of  this 
.admission  is  offered  to  those  whose  whole  force  of  exegesis  of  an  important 
passage  depends  on  the  assumption  that  the  Romans  "  invaded "  and  "  con- 
quered "  from  east  to  west. 

44.  But  there  are  several  things  to  be  considered  in  connection  with  this 
approach  of  the  tenth  legion. 

(1.)  It  was  neither  an  invasion  nor  a  progressive  conquest ;  they  were  al- 
ready in  the  country,  and  the  whole  territory  through  which  they  marched 
had  already  been  conquered. 

(2.)  The  starting  point  in  this  very  march  was  west  of  north  of  Jerusalem ; 
and  it  was  only  by  making  a  detour  to  an  eastern  road,  leading  from  north  to 
south,  that  they  happened  to  finish  the  march  by  going  about  half  as  far  from, 
east  to  west,  as  they  had  previously  gone  from  west  to  east ;  so  that,  in  fact, 
taking  the  whole  march  together,  they  went  twice  as  far  from  west  to  east,  as 
they  did  from  east  to  west. 

(3.)  This,  after  all,  was  not  the  Roman  armies,  nor  the  Roman  army :  it 
was  only  a  part,  and  comparatively  a  small  part.  If  the  commentators  had 
only  this  legion  in  view,  and  had  notified  us  of  the  fact,  it  would  have  saved 
the  world  some  trouble  and  some  injury.  But  what  kind  of  justice  or  sense 
is  there  in  seizing  upon  the  exception  to  a  general  truth,  and  making  it  the 
criterion  of  that  truth  ?  If  this  method  of  reasoning  should  be  generally 
adopted,  we  should  have  to  bid  farewell  to  all  sense,  and  to  all  certainty. 
The  reader  will  forgive  this  extended  notice  of  what,  it  might  be  supposed, 
no  man  would  be  likely  to  consider  worthy  of  notice,  for  the  attention  of  the 
writer  has  been  gravely  called  to  this  eastern  detour  in  the  march  of  this  le- 
gion, as  a  confirmation  of  the  justness  of  the  comparison  of  the  march  of  the 
Roman  army  to  the  lightning  shining  from  east  to  west ! 

(4.)  Finally,  it  would  seem  as  if  Providence  had  so  directed,  that  any  im- 
portance being  attached  to  the  march  of  this  legion  should  be  completely  neg- 
atived, by  the  fact,  that  the  5th  legion  was  directed  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  by 
Emmaus.  Now,  by  consulting  almost  any  map,  particularly  Robinson's,  it 
will  be  found  that  Emmaus  is  the  same  distance  and  direction  westerly  from  Je- 
rusalem, that  Jerkho  is  easterly.  Consequently,  the  legion  coming  through 
Emmaus  approached  Jerusalem  just  as  much  from  west  to  east,  as  the  legion 
coming  through  Jericho  approached  from  east  to  west.  And  if  any  importance 
is  to  be  attached  to  a  slight  detour  in  the  march  of  a  small  part  of  an  army  in 
a  course  almost  due  south,  then  we  will  offset  the  Jericho  detour  by  the  detour 
of  Emmaus. 

45.  The  Jewish  people  knew,  of  course,  the  whole  history  and  progress  of 
the  war,  and  were  not  unapprised  of  this  renewed  invasion,  and  approach 
to  their  metropolis.    There  is  nothing  in  the  whole  history,  which,  properly 
understood,  goes  to  show  that  they  were  taken  by  surprise,  or  that  the  Ro- 
mans were  more  than  usually  rapid  and  sudden  in  their  conquests  and  march- 
es.   The  appearance  of  the  Roman  army  before  their  walls  was  what  they 


468  HAKMONY  AND  EXPOSITION. 

had  long  expected  and  fully  prepared  for.  It  is  proper  to  say,  that  the  prin- 
cipal encampment  of  the  army  was  on  Mount  Scopus,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
city,  and  that  the  northern  part  of  the  city  was  the  first  assaulted  and  the 
first  destroyed.  And  the  progress  of  conquest  in  the  city  was  either  from 
north  to  south,  or  from  west  to  east. 

46.  Candor  requires  the  admission,  that  there  is  one  paragraph  in  the  his- 
tory which  may  seem  to  show  that  the  approach  of  the  Romans  at  this  time 
was  sudden  and  unlocked  for.     It  is  in  B.  6,  c.  2,  s.  4:     "Now,  when  hitherto 
the  several  parties  in  the  city  had  been  dashing  one  against  another  perpetu- 
ally, this  foreign  war,  now  suddenly  come  upon  them  after  a  violent  manner, 
put  the  first  stop  to  their  contentions  one  against  another ;  and  as  the  sedi- 
tious now  saw   with  astonishment  the  Romans  pitching  three  several  camps, 
they  began  to  think  of  an  awkward  sort  of  concord,  and  said  one  to  another, 
"  What  do  we  here,  and  what  do  we  mean,  when  we  suffer  three  fortified 
walls  to  be  built  to  coop  us  in,"  <fec.,  <fec. 

47.  To  interpret  this  as  if  the  Jews  did  not  expect  the  Romans  to  come  into 
the  country,  or  to  attack  Jerusalem,  would  be  doing  violence  to  the  whole 
tenor  of  the  history.     The  allusions  to  their  expectation  of  the  Romans,  and 
to  their  determinations  and  preparations  to  resist  them,  abound  in  every  part 
of  the  history.     To  suppose  that  there  was  any  uncommon  haste,  or  anything 
out  of  the  usual  course,  in  the  approach  of  the  Romans  at  this  time,  would  be 
supposing  what  has  no  countenance  whatever  from  the  history.     The  passage 
should  be  understood  with  reference  to  two  prominent  facts  with  which  it  is 
connected : 

(1.)  For  several  years  they  had  seen  the  war  rage  all  around  them,  but  it 
had  not  before  approached  their  walls.  Many  times  when  they  had  every  ordi- 
nary indication  that  the  siege  would  soon  be  attempted,  they  were  disappointed, 
and  suffered  to  go  on  unmolested.  In  this  case,  however,  the  war  had  really 
come  to  their  very  gates :  after  so  long  looking  for  it,  and  after  so  many  un- 
realized alarms,  which  tended  rather  to  make  them  disregard  alarms,  the  ene- 
mies were  actually  in  their  vicinity ;  they  were  rearing  their  encampments 
within  sight  of  their  walls. 

(2.)  Another  thing  to  be  considered  is  this :  during  these  approaches,  alarms 
and  delays,  the  city  was  terribly  afflicted  by  dissensions  among  the  different 
parties  within:  So  full  of  jealousy  and  hatred  were  they,  that,  at  times,  the 
contending  partizans  seemed  almost  to  forget  that  they  were  environed  about 
by  prowling  armies  and  fortified  garrisons.  And  when,  after  so  much  expec- 
tation and  surprise,  the  seditious  contenders  within  the  city  beheld  their 
worst  fears  realized  by  the  actual  presence  and  warlike  array  of  their  enemies, 
there  was,  with  "the  seditious,"  a  degree  of  surprise  and  astonishment. 

48.  Viewing  the  passage,  as  it  should  be  viewed,  as  being  in  harmony  with 
the  remaining  portions  of  the  history,  the  most  that  can  be  made  of  this  para- 
graph, is,  that  "the  seditious"  portion  of  the  city  were  so  occupied,  at  this 
time,  with  their  intense  mutual  hatred  and  jealousies,  that,  though  long 
looked  for,  and  prepared  for,  yet  the  investing  of  the  city  at  this  time  was 
comparatively  sudden,  and  to  those  whose  whole  attention  had  been  occupied 
with  their  own  internal  commotions,  when  they  beheld  the  realization  of  what 


APPENDIX.  469 

had  an  hundred  times  been  predicted  by  their  more  prudent  brethren,  they 
eaw  the  warlike  array  "with  astonishment" 

49.  But  what  is  there  in  all  this,  even  admitting  all  that  the  words  can 
properly  import,  that  can,  by  any  appropriate  use  of  language,  justify  a  re- 
ference to  the  lightning  flashing  in  a  moment  over  the  whole  heavens,  as  an 
illustration  of  the  invasion,  conquest,  and  desolation  of  the  Romans  during 
this  war  ?     The  inevitable  impression  that  such  a  comparison  is  designed  to 
make,  is,  that  the  Romans  burst  into  the  country  unexpectedly,  and  swept 
over  it  with  a  destructive  rapidity  that  knew  no  parallel,  and  could  be  liken- 
ed to  nothing  better  than  the  instantaneous,  unlocked  for,  unprepared  for  elec- 
tric blaze  that  scorches  and  withers  with  no  premonishing  indications.     This 
is  the  popular  creed,  as  the  reader  has  already  discovered  by  the  numerous 
quotations  from  standard  authorities. 

50.  But,  reader,  supposing  you  to  have  carefully  read  either  this  abridge- 
ment, or  the  original  work,  what  have  you  found  to  justify  the  popular  illus- 
tration of  the  lightning  ?     What  have  you  found,  which  you  are  willing  spe- 
cifically to  mention,  that  can,  by  any  justifiable  license,  be  compared  to  the 
flashing  lightning?     In  relation  to  the  direction  of  the  lightning  from  east  to 
west,  and  to  its  application  to  the  approach  and  conquests  of  the  Romans,  you 
have  seen,  for  yourself  positively  and  undeniably,  that  the  whole  is  a  mere  fiction, 
without  a  single  appropriate  instance  to  justify  it,  and  with  the  entire  history  of 
the  war  proving  it  to  be  without  the  slightest  foundation. 

•  51.  And  with  regard  to  the  suddenness,  the  rapidity,  and  unexpectedness  of 
the  invasion  and  conquests,  as  compared  to  the  electric  flash  filling  the  hem- 
isphere in  a  moment,  what  have  you  found  that  ever  could  have  suggested, 
or  ever  can  justify,  such  an  illustration  ?  Was  the  war  unexpected  ?  The 
history  has  many  distinct  affirmations  that  the  war  was  expected,  yea,  even 
Bought  tor  and  provoked  by  a  large  proportion  of  the  Jews  and  that  the  more 
prudent  among  them,  both  rulers  and  people,  were  perpetually  advising,  warn- 
ing, and  struggling  against  it.  Nothing  can  be  told  more  clearly  than  this. 
And  it  will  not  fail  in  its  application  to  the  final  siege  of  the  metropolis,  not- 
withstanding the  comparative  suddenness  of  the  siege,  and  the  surprise  of 
the  seditious.  For  their  very  surprise,"  under  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
could  have  resulted  only  from  long  expectation  and  suspense  unrealized,  until 
they  had,  for  a  time,  apparently  lost  sight  of  the  facts  in  the  case,  and  almost 
ceased  to  expect  what  they  had  so  long  waited  for  without  having  their  fears 
realized. 

52.  And  in  regard  to  the  rapidity  of  conquest,  —  what  was  there  to  justify 
its  comparison  to  the  lightning's  flash  ?  Was  it  more  rapid  than  the  Roman 
conquests  in  general  ?  Would  not  many  of  Bonaparte's  campaigns  equal  this 
both  in  extent  and  rapidity  ?  Would  not  the  late  war  with  Mexico  afford  an 
instance  just  as  worthy  of  such  a  comparison  ?  And  yet  where  is  the  sane 
historian  that  would  venture  to  make  a  comparison  like  the  one  in  question, 
in  reference  to  these  modern  conquests  ?  The  appeal  is,  of  course,  made  to 
those  who  have  investigated,  to  some  extent,  the  matter  in  question.  Has 
there  not  been  a  gross  misunderstanding  of  this  whole  matter?  Has  there 
not  been  an  indulgence  of  fancy  that  is  really  out  of  place  \  And  have  not 


470  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

many  been  satisfied  with  mere  assertion,  -without  asking  for  the  facts  to  prove 
them? 

63.  There  is  one  question  more,  for  the  asking  of  which,  the  writer  begs 
pardon  of  those  to  whom  it  does  not  apply  :  the  question  is  propounded  with 
no  little  mortification  and  pain:  it  is  this — Are  we  not  compelled  to  believe 
that  there  are  some  who  are  so  unwilling  to  be  convinced  that  our  great  men 
have  fallen  into  a  mistake  on  this  subject,  that  no  strength  of  argument  is 
sufficient  to  make  an  impression  upon  their  minds?  The  writer  has  had  pain- 
ful experience  on  this  point,  and  has  not  written  this  section  without  occasion. 
And  this  is  one  of  the  sources  of  regret  which  the  mistake  in  this^matter  has 
occasioned.  The  writer  has  no  disposition  to  diminish  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence which  it  is  natural  for  the  people  generally  to  feel  for  men  of  great 
learning  :  he  moves  in  this  matter  with  reluctance,  and  after  several  years  of 
hesitation.  He  is  duly  apprised  of  the  unpopularity — not  to  say,  jeopardy  — 
of  arraying  himself  against  the  popular  exegesis  of  an  important  passage, 
and  bringing  his  own  opinion  into  conflict  with  the  opinions  of  so  many  men 
of  titles  and  learning.  But,  after  all,  this  is  not  properly  a  matter  of  opinion: 
it  is,  in  reality,  a  matter  of  fact,  to  be  decided  by  available  evidences.  And 
this,  as  the  reader  has  perceived,  is  the  precise  nature  of  this  effort ;  it  is  to 
show  what  the  facts  in  the  case  were.  If  it  were  an  array  of  name  against 
name,  or  opinion  against  opinion,  this  Treatise  would  never  have  been  sent 
forth  to  the  world.  But  it  is,  as  the  case  shows  for  itself,  an  array  of  facts 
against  assertions.  And,  what  is  a  little  remarkable,  the  facts  themselves  are 
derived  from  the  same  source  that  is  so  confidently  appealed  to,  to  sustain  the 
assertions. 

54.  Once  more :  The  inquiry  will  undoubtedly  be  made,  were  not  these 
facts  as  accessible  to  the  authors  who  are  said  to  have  misunderstood  them,  as 
they  are  to  the  writer  of  this  Treatise ;  and  were  they  not  as  capable  —  yea, 
infinitely  more  so  —  of  understanding  them?  Most  certainly.  How,  then,  is 
the  matter  to  be  explained?  "Well,  although  this  does  not  properly  belong 
to  the  writer,  yet  it  will  not  be  inappropriate  for  him  to  offer  one  or  two  sug- 
gestions by  way  of  explaining  the  mystery.  The  probability  with  most  of 
the  authors  in  question,  and  the  certainty  with  respect  to  some  of  them,  will 
lead  us  to  conclude,  that  the  subject  before  us  was  never  investigated  by  them 
personally.  Bishop  Pearce  wrote  a  Dissertation  on  the  Destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, which  was  published,  it  appears,  near  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century. 
This  work  the  writer  has  earnestly,  but  vainly,  tried  to  procure.  The  Bish- 
op introduced  an  observation,  stating  that  "  the  Romans  entered  into  Judea  on 
the  east  side  of  it,  and  carried  on  their  conquests  westward,  as  if  not'  only  the  ex- 
tensiveness  of  the  ruin,  but  the  very  route  which  the  army  would  take,  was 
intended  in  the  comparison  of  the  lightning  coming  out  of  the  east,  and  shi- 
ning even  unto  the  west."  Bishop  Pearce  professed  to  derive  the  proof  of 
this  remarkable  assertion  from  Josephus.  Well,  now,  Josephus  is  admitted  by 
all  to  be  good  authority  in  this  matter,  and  the  learned  prelate  is  admitted  to 
have  been  competent  to  understand  him. 

65.  But,  however  unaccountable  it  may  appear,  the  FACT  is,  the  Bishop  did 
NOT  understand  Josephus :  this  we  have  DEMONSTKATED  from  the  history  itself:  th» 


APPENDIX.  471 

Romans  did  NOT  enter  into  Judea  on  the  EAST  BIDE  of  it ;  they  did  NOT  carry  on 
their  conqiiests  WESTWARD.  But  the  Bishop  said  they  did ;  and  he  was  deemed 
too  good  authority  to  be  mistaken  in  so  plain  a  matter ;  and  from  him  the  fic- 
tion has  come  down  to  us  through  almost  the  entire  generation  of  commenta- 
tors that  have  flourished  since  that  time.  Bishop  Newton  adopted  this  obser- 
vation of  Bishop  Pearce,  and  brought  it  into  his  Dissertation  on  the  Prophecies; 
and,  confiding  in  the  ability  and  faithfulness  of  his  predecessors,  did  not  deem 
it  necessary  to  undertake  the  labor  of  a  personal  examination.  And,  as  would 
appear  from  the  evidences  in  the  case,  all,  or  most,  of  the  subsequent  writers, 
having  access  to  Newton  on  the  Prophecies,  have,  without  personal  investiga- 
tion, adopted  the  ingenious  fiction  ;  and  so  it  has  become  immutably  incorpo- 
rated with  our  best  standards  of  Bible  exegesis.  Even  now,  as  the  reception 
of  this  Treatise  will  demonstrate,  people  are  disposed  to  adopt  implicitly,  and 
without  personal  investigation,  almost  anything  that  our  great  men  are  indu- 
ced to  affirm ;  for,  as  it  will  be  generally,  and  is  generally  said,  can  it  be  pos- 
sible that  such  men  as  Newton,  Clarke,  Watson,  <fec.,  &c.,  could  be  mistaken 
in  so  plain  a  matter  ?  "We  have  only  to  suppose  that  Bishop  Newton  had  the 
same  feeling  in  respect  to  his  illustrious  predecessors,  that  we  perceive  all  sub- 
sequent writers  have  had  for  Newton  himself,  and  the  explanation  of  the 
mystery  is  easy,  as  it  relates  to  writers  subsequent  to  Newton. 

66.  How  Bishop  Pearce  fell  into  so  palpable  a  mistake,  the  writer  does  not 
undertake  to  say  ;  for,  as  he  has  not  succeeded  in  procuring  the  book,  he  can- 
not tell  how  the  unfortunate  circumstance  occurred.     It  is  probable,  however, 
that  the  good  prelate,  writing  at  that  moment  rather  carelessly,  mistook  the 
points  on  the  map,  and  transposed  the  east  and  west.     This  we  know  was  done 
even  by  Richard  Watson,  as  may  be  seen  by  his  note  on  Matt.  xxiv.  27.     And, 
inasmuch  as  such  a  man  as  Richard  Watson  could  make  such  a  mistake,  why 
not  Bishop  Pearce  ? 

67.  The  subject  cannot  fail  to  suggest  some  rather  humiliating  reflections 
on  the  custom  of  our  commentators  in  copying  one  from  another,  instead  of 
going  to  the  original  sources  of  truth.     The  writer  cannot  express  his  own 
views  on  this  subject,  better  than  to  adopt  the  language  of  a  noble  writer  in 
the  Meth.  Quar.  Review,  for  1849,  p.  187.     The  writer  alluded  to,  however, 
refers  to  an  entirely  different  subject.     Speaking  of  the  difficulties  that  were 
in  the  way  of  investigation,  he  says,  —  "  But  a  more  formidable  one  is  to 
be  found  in  the  fact,  that  commentators  have  continued,  age  after  age,  ser- 
vilely to  copy  each  other's  expositions,  with  scarcely  a  single  deviation  from 
the  beaten  track." 

58.  Finally,  the  subject  of  this  investigation  must  be  admitted  to  deserve 
the  attention  of  the  profoundest  intellects  ;  for  the  improper  exegesis  of  the 
27th  verse  of  the  24th  chapter  of  Matt.,  cannot  fail  to  work  immense  injury  to 
biblical  knowledge.  So  long  as  that  verse  is  allowed  to  be  explained  away 
from  its  literal  and  legitimate  meaning,  by  this  popular  use  of  an  absolutely 
groundless  fiction,  so  long  distrust  of  the  literal  teachings  of  the  Bible,  and 
resort  to  probable  and  improbable  fancies,  will  weaken  and  destroy  the  force 
of  those  tremendous  truths  which  were  designed  to  intimidate  the  audacious, 
and  warn  the  unwary.  If  this  effort  shall  succeed  in  arousing  the  attention 


472  HARMONY   AND   EXPOSITION. 

of  the  church  to  this  matter,  however  much  the  writer  may  suffer  by  his  pi- 
oneer publication,  he  will  be  grateful  for  the  opportunity  that  permits  him  to 
call  attention  to  this  matter.  And,  especially,  as  the  proper  investigation  of 
this  subject  will  be  likely  to  lead  on  to  a  great  reform  in  the  manner  of  ma- 
king and  using  exegetical  publications. 

NOTE. — As  this  was  not  designed  for  a  general  Abridgment  of  the  History, 
but  only  a  limited  one  for  a  particular  purpose,  it  is  not  necessary  to  extend 
it  any  further.  It  should  always  be  read  in  connection  with  the  comment  on 
Matt  xxiv.  27. 

Particular  information  respecting  many  other  things  which  happened  du- 
ring the  war,  may  be  found  in  several  of  the  first  chapters  of  the  Exposition, 
where  such  information  was  deemed  appropriate. 


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